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There is a configuration option to set whether you should be prompted to reload a file which is modified outside of TextPad (which I think is on by default)

This is generally quite useful.

However, when reading large log files from an active application the reload dialog box can pop-up every 2 seconds getting in the way of reading the file.

Changing the reload preference to ignore and always reload is an option, but both have their problems.

What is really wanted is a non-modal reload indicator. This could be done by having an icon/button appear in the title bar of the file. Or more simply you could have a 'reload' button in the toolbar which is gray/disabled if the active document is current, and highlights when the file is externally modified. You could then choose to reload the document by clicking on the icon, or simply ignore it.

Of course I'm in favor of adding extra features, but I'm not in favor of taking away features upon which I rely. If a document is externally modified, I want it reloaded, immediately it gets into focus. An icon ungraying is just not enough.

So by all means, enhance the way this works, add a few more options, whatever, but please don't stop it doing what it currently does so well.

Jill

> Of course I'm in favor of adding extra features, but I'm not in favor
> of taking away features upon which I rely.

Quite so. What I am really suggesting is a fourth option in the reload preferences, or (less good) a replacement for the 'prompt' option.

Another option would be to add a preference option to change the re-check interval to >2s

Part of the problem is that the reload behaviour would be better set on a per-file basis. If I'm reading a log file I would generally perfer auto-reload for tail-like behaviour. In another window I might be editing the perl script which generates the log file and I would want that file to use a pop-up if modified externally, otherwise I might loose recent edits.