AkelPad

Hello,

Can anyone tell me why there is an extra notepad.exe process for every instance of AkelPad? I have a Notepad replacement installation and I am on an x64 Windows 7 machine.

Here's a crop from Task Manager screenshot:


Perhaps my installation didn't go so well?

Kind regards,
Dan[/img]

danf84
Notepad.exe exist in two directories: "Windows" and "Windows\System32". So AkelPad installs in "Windows\System32" and place special redirector to "Windows" that call AkelPad from "Windows\System32".

After the redictor launches the correct Notepad.exe, why does it remain in memory?
Why have a redirector in the first place, that must impact start up times - which are actually noticeable here having come from Notepad. My machine is pretty fast.

danf84, redirector is placed into C:\windows because there is notepad.exe located too. Some windows software launches C:\windows\notepad.exe directly so it MUST be replaced by AkelPad.exe too. BUT original Notepad.exe is very simple program, where as AkelPad is complicated(and powerful) one. AkelPad can be blocked to simultaneous work of >2 instances, Notepad can work infinite instances. AkelPad can save options to ini file which located in the same directory, Notepad uses Registry only. AkelPad have plugins which located in special subdirectory, Notepad doesn't have any. There some other differences I shall not mention. AkelPad requires proper environment. So if one program runs NotePad.exe(replaces by AkelPad.exe) from c:\windows there MUST be the same environment as in c:\windows\system32. Do you want to make copy? I don't think so, because copy will not be synced. So if AkelPad see it launched from c:\windows it relaunches itself from c:\windows\system32 where there is proper environment.
Why it does not shutdown itself? Because it will break everything! Let me explain: some programs launches Notepad to edit temporary files(for instance TotalCommander allows to edit files in archives in external software by unpacking them into temporary locations). Program launches it and starting to wait until it finishes. It is indication of user finished editing of file, so program can process it(TotalCommander will repack edited file back into archive and erase it in temporary location).So You understand, if redirector finish itself before second instance do its work, parent process will change/erase file before user done editing(in most cases, second instance of AP will late read it)(As I said, TotalCommander will remove temporary file, and so second instance will be in bad situation: if it was lucky to read file before it was removed by TC, TC will not read it back anymore, if it not so lucky - AP will complain about editing of non-existing file). So You should understand why it so essentially to keep redirector running.
I can assure You it doesn't consumes much resources.

PS: I advice You to use normal Task manager(Process Explorer for instance) not that pity original Task Manager, so You will have less questions.

Whew!!

That's why I still use Windows XP, and LOVE the Sent To (AkelPad) feature instead of playing with replacing Notepad...