Uncovering the Hidden Feature of Sorting Text in Notepad++

Notepad++ has been a staple for many users for years, offering a range of features that make text editing a breeze. One feature that often goes unnoticed, however, is the ability to sort text within the application. In this article, we will explore how to use this feature and why it's so useful.

To access the sorting feature in Notepad++, you can select the column by clicking on the first row of the column you want to sort. Then, right-click on the selected column and choose 'Sort Lines...' from the context menu. This will open a new window where you can specify the sorting order.

One common use case for this feature is when working with large amounts of data. For example, if you have a list of items in a text file and you want to sort them alphabetically or numerically, you can do so by selecting the column containing the relevant information and then clicking on 'Sort Lines...'. This will rearrange the lines in the file according to your specified sorting order.

Another useful aspect of this feature is its ability to sort text based on specific criteria. For instance, if you have a list of names in one column and ages in another, you can sort both columns simultaneously by selecting the corresponding columns and then clicking on 'Sort Lines...'. This will rearrange the lines in the file according to your specified sorting order.

In some cases, using a n-chars column selection or regex solutions may not give the same sort order as Notepad++'s built-in sorting feature. For instance, let's consider the following lines extracted from the change.log file of the last version:

Add the ability to open the target file of a Shortcut (*.lnk).Īdd an option to prevent right click from canceling selection.Īdd word wrap option to find results context menu.Īdd keyboard navigation ability to Column Editor.Īdd keyboard shortcuts for switching to panels.Īdd confirmation preference for Replace All in All Opened Documents operation.Īdd Escape keypress in functionlist searchbox to clear its text.Īdd RTL capability to localized messageboxes.Īdd search scope to Find window status bar output.

My ignorance of this feature explains why I proposed, in some posts, a work-around based on regular expressions. Fixing the sorting by column key using incorrect key values and fixing column key sort with col block starting in col1 bug are just two examples of how Notepad++'s built-in sorting feature can help.

It's amazing that such an important feature could go unnoticed for so long, especially considering how long I've been using Notepad++. However, it's a testament to the power and flexibility of this software that even after all these years, there is still so much to learn. Whether you're a seasoned user or just starting out, exploring Notepad++'s built-in sorting feature can help take your productivity to the next level.

In conclusion, Notepad++'s ability to sort text within the application is a powerful and useful feature that can save time and increase efficiency when working with large amounts of data. By understanding how to use this feature, you can unlock new possibilities for organizing and analyzing your data in Notepad++.

Notepad++ sort by words