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[Fixed] Notepad++ is writing to

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truthseeker
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[Fixed] Notepad++ is writing to

I am running The portableapps version of notepad++ from my USB stick, but it is writing outside of the portableapps folder and outside the USB stick and writing to C:.

Good way to confirm this is to use Online Armour Firewall which detects it.

I just opened a text file using Notepad++ again, and OA says this:

"The program ns328A.tmp wants to run" Located: "C:\users\atom\AppData\Local\Temp\nsz8CB.tmp\"

Everytime I close notepad++ portableapps, it wants to run a .tmp file from within the C:\users\atom\AppData\ folder.

Can someone fix this please and release a true portableapps notepad++ version?

Thank you.

gluxon
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It's really suppose to do

It's really suppose to do that.

I'm pretty sure I talked to you about what a Portable Launcher is doing in our chats right?

The Launcher loads it's settings...

And then cleans them up again.

So once the launcher or app is closed, almost nothing will be left behind (remember, all apps leave traces).

Tim Clark
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To clarify

Most of our apps, and even our flag ship apps FFP and TBP
write outside of the portableapps folder and outside the USB stick and writing to C all the time, they always have. Certain files need to be on the hard drive during the running of the app. When the app is closed they are removed. There is nothing to confirm.

In this case your firewall has a setting which views apps running things from the "temp" folder as suspicious, there is nothing wrong with that, my AV does the same thing. Assuming you trust the official apps you download from here you need to instruct your firewall that a particular app, in this case notepad++, is allowed to use the "temp" folder to run things it needs to.
Again, your FireWall, and in my case my AV, have some extra high settings, for the paranoid to use [note I consider this a good thing] but this is not the norm for most firewalls and AV, if it were we would have had many more reports of it being a problem.

True Portability is not affected by this, the files are created and removed as needed. What you are asking for is that the app be 100% self contained, at all times, and this would be up to the author of the original app, not us.

Tim

Things have got to get better, they can't get worse, or can they?

truthseeker
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This is definitely a problem,

This is definitely a problem, especially for Online Armour users. Let me exlain why.... the .tmp file is never the same filename and keeps changing everytime notpad++ is opened, so it keeps wanting to ask every single time I use and close notepad++ whether or not the .tmp should be given persmission or blocked. So you can imagine, the Online Armour allow and block list keeps growing and growing, and eventually it will contain 1000's of .tmp files either blocked or allowed depending how the user chooses.

And that means it gets very tedious, having to continously clean out the .tmp files from Online Armour list.

And the free version of OA doesn't allow instructing it to allow to use the "temp" folder to run things it needs to.

Is there a fix?

Tim Clark
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Is there a fix?

Is there a fix?

Other than not using the free version or getting another firewall I don't know. It is fine that your firewall [and my AV for that matter] have aggressive settings, but if it doesn't allow you to override them that is just bad planning. Any advanced security app should be written so as to allow you to override it when it's default settings are not appropriate. My AV allows me to set it to Block, Inform, or Ignore a program attempting to run something from the temp directory because they realized that there are/will be cases where it should be allowed. Just as most firewalls, even the default one from Microsoft, will allow you to make exceptions to it's rules as to what programs can make contact with the internet.

Again, most folks are not having this problem, it needs to be taken up with your firewall maker, have you contacted them ?

Tim

Things have got to get better, they can't get worse, or can they?

Chris Morgan
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A fix:

As a developer, I'll comment here.

We used to use nsExec::Exec for some things, but due to the fact that some anti-things cause trouble with it, other solutions have been used where possible.

In this instance, nsExec::Exec was being used for copying any INI files from the data directory to the app directory, to cover any plugins. NSIS doesn't have an inbuilt way of copying recursively *.ini files, so $COMSPEC /C move /Y "$SETTINGSDIRECTORY\*.ini" "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY" was used.

Since then, the moving into the app directory has been replaced with (line 220):

${MoveFiles} FORCE "*.ini" "$SETTINGSDIRECTORY" "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY"

It looks, however, as though John T. Haller has missed the moving back, which still reads (line 374)

nsExec::Exec `$COMSPEC /C move /Y "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY\*.ini" "$SETTINGSDIRECTORY"`

To make this more transparent, this should be changed to:

${MoveFiles} FORCE "*.ini" "$PROGRAMDIRECTORY" "$SETTINGSDIRECTORY"`

Until the next release, though, if you want to stop it from happening, get NSIS Portable and recompile the launcher having changed that line. It should work fine. But also be aware that what it does at the moment is perfectly portable, it's just not as transparent as it could be.

Thanks for the report though - it helps to improve PortableApps.com's software Smile

I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1

John T. Haller
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This Week

I'll include this in the Notepad++ revision being posted this week. It also fixes a bug with default settings and the INI and Windows 7 support.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Villa Jidiot
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Thanks, eagerly waiting for it

Notepad++ is the only portable app I have not been able to use as I also have the Online Armor free firewall installed on one of the computers where it would be used.
I have the same issue of having to authorise Notepad++ use every time that app is launched and when it closes.
I'll celebrate when this issue is finally fixed.

truthseeker
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Thank you Chris for

Thank you Chris for confirming and explaining all that Smile

God bless your heart, and keep up the great work you and John. really appreciate portableapps.

John T. Haller
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Fixed in 5.4.2

This is fixed in 5.4.2

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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