Community

When a file is opened from the Windows Explorer context menu and an instance of TextPad is already running, it would be preferred if the file were opened in a new tab of the already-running instance instead of launching a new instance of TextPad.

RickB:

Configure/Preferences.../General De-select the "Allow multiple instances to run" check box. This will open the file in the current instance. You could not have an option to force the file to be opened in the same instance AND have multiplle instances allowed because the system would never know which instance to use.

Thanks,
Bill

Thanks for that, Bill.

Sharbotcom wrote:RickB:

Configure/Preferences.../General De-select the "Allow multiple instances to run" check box. This will open the file in the current instance. You could not have an option to force the file to be opened in the same instance AND have multiplle instances allowed because the system would never know which instance to use.

Thanks,
Bill

Hi Bill. With version 4.7.x, the behavior is exactly the opposite of what you state. With 4.7.x I have the option "Allow multiple instances to run" checked so that I can run more than 1 instance of TextPad. However, with version 4.7.x, when I would right-click a file and choose "TextPad", it would ALWAYS open into a tab of the most recently used instance of TextPad. This was fine with me. If I wanted files into a new instance, I added a "Send To" shortcut for TextPad which worked fine.

However, with version 5.x, this no longer works. Now when I right-click a file and choose "TextPad", I get a new instance of TextPad EVERY time. And if I disable the "Allow multiple instances to run" option, the Send To option no longer works!

This is disappointing. Do you have any idea why this behavior changed???

is there any update to this? I do want to allow multiple instances of textpad but for the right-click context menu want it to open in the existing instance of textpad (just like it was doing in 4.7).

It looks like this issue is being ignored by the moderators *and* TextPad. I have switched back to version 4.7.3. There are some features I like with 5.x, but if opening a file into an existing instance of TextPad is not corrected, I cannot see upgrading. I'll be sticking with 4.7.3.

At the very least, this behavior should be selectable within the program preferences (e.g. open files like 4.7.x or 5.x). That would be acceptable!

yea, that's too bad. I'm a heavy user of Textpad and that is a key feature to my productivity. Oh well, back to 4.7.3 for now ...

Moderators, please let us know when you have resolved this issue. Would love to keep using the current release.

Check out the -m startup switch. If that works for you, then modify the File Association to add the -m switch.

modify the File Association in Windows Vista to add some extra command to the textpad.exe line doesnt seem to be possible. If I choose the context menu to open files with textpad it will be open in the same window. But if I dubbel click on some file, it will open a new textpad.

Im running the latest version of textpad 5.0.3.

Previous versions of Textpad let the user decide if and when a new instance should be started, by opening files in the currently active (if any).
Several issues regarding this has been registered in the forums.

Why has this behaviour been removed, and when will it be reimplemented?

Regards,
Erik

I got the same problem after installing the latest version.

But the hint from Bob Hansen is great. Maybe not everybody can work with that.

A little explanation:
- De-select the "Allow multiple instances to run" check box at Configure -> Preferences... -> General
- Switch to the "C:\Documents and Settings\CURRENT USER\SendTo"
- Right-Click on the "TextPad"-Link and select "Properties"
- Add a " -m" (with leeding space) at the end of the "Target" Value
e.g. "C:\Program Files\TextPad 5\TextPad.exe" -m

Now the selected files via contex menu are opened in the current instance.
If you want to start a new instance just open the file via the "Send to" Context.

I hope this was helpful.

Sorry for grammatical errors but my english is a bit rusty - not enough practice.

Greetz
Crubble

I'm another 4.7.3 user who frequently had multiple instance of TextPad open with different workspaces in each one, but still liked the ability to open an file from the Context menu and have it appear in the active TextPad instance. I can live with Bob's workaround, but it makes it impossible to have my multiple instances open without launching them from a file. I'd really like to see the old behavior restored as an option.

actually, in older versions the need to "open in most recent instance" was so annoying that it would even load new workspaces in existing textpad instances... removing whatever workspace was loaded.

I would personally be very unhappy to see this returned. I too use many instances (as can be seen by my 5 year quest to get the minimize to systray tooltip to show the workspace name and not just "TEXTPAD" ... however, if I want to open a file in an existing instance, I find it no challenge to drag it into the instance I want.

Just my experience