A list of frequently asked questions related to common issues:

1. How to open a new issue
2. How to create a non-blocking Pull Request (PR)
3. Outdated configuration files
4. Incorrect character rendering
5. Support for systems other than the MS Windows family

Before you open a new issue to report a bug, try to follow the rules below:

1. Make sure that the problem is also reproducible in the latest release of the program. If you'd like, you can also test the current build version. If the problem is not strictly related to the Notepad ++ installation process (and in the installation version in general) then testing the problem in the portable version is the best solution (instruction).
2. Check if the problem you describe has not already been opened. You can do this by searching this repository for words similar to your. In the upper left corner of this page, enter your phrase and click the In this repository button. After the search check the results for the Issues tab (both Open and Closed). If there is no similar issue, you can open a new one, otherwise you can add your comments to the existing issue.
3. When you open a new issue you will receive an initial template to fill out. Try to follow it, in particular, never skip Debug Information section.
4. For issue related to text or code put it in a form that can be copied (use delimiters ``` Your code here ``` or attach a file). The print screen should only be an addition, not a source for reproducing your problem!

By default each commit in PR runs a build that contains 10 jobs with full compilation and some tests (mainly syntax check for XML files). The entire process can take up to ~1.5 h.

If only XML files (such as localization, themes or auto-completion) have been modified in a given PR, then the entire build time can be optimized by explicitly adding the [xml] flag at the beginning of the commit title. For example:

[xml] Update English localization

[xml] Update Bespin.xml theme

[xml] Update javascript.xml auto-completion

This cause that commit will runs a build with one job Win32/Debug, which will only perform XML validation. This process takes ~1 min.

If the [xml] flag is not explicitly specified in the commit title and only XML files was modified then some build time optimization will be performed implicitly anyway, but it's not perfect (takes ~14 min).

For this reason it's encouraged to use [xml] flag whenever only XML files have been modified.

*The above guidelines also apply to other files that don't require any compilation or test (currently for md, txt, or log). If a given PR modifies only such files then please use same [xml] flag at the beginning of the commit title.

There are other flags that may be useful when working on a given PR. They should only be used as an intermediate step between different commits (for testing purposes). The last commit in a given PR should pass the build without any flag or with using only [XML] flag.

[skip ci] or [ci skip] or [skip appveyor] - flags offered directly from AppVeyor, which completely omit the entire build.

[force xml] - regardless of changed files 10 jobs will be run, where 9 jobs will be canceled after running, only Win32/Debug perform XML validation (without compilation).

[xml][force xml] - regardless of changed files the combination of these two flags will run one job Win32/Debug, which will perform XML validation (without compilation).

[force nowork] or [xml][force nowork] - analogously to the above, but job Win32/Debug does nothing (will be canceled).

[xml][force compile] - if files requiring compilation have been changed (like cpp) the combination of these two flags allow us to run only one job Win32/Debug with standard compilation and perform all test.

If we need to use some of the above flags, but without making any changes to the last commit, then an empty commit can be done:

git commit --allow-empty -m "[xml][force compile] Give me only Win32/Debug build"

Some problems may arise because of outdated configuration files. The easiest way to determine this case is repeat the problem in the latest portable version (instruction). If everything works fine in the portable version, you should locate your configuration files and update them manually. Depending on the situation different .xml files should be update (check the manual for configuration files details).

References: #9806

If you have a problem with incorrect character rendering then you can tryDirectWrite option as follow:

Settings > Preferences... > MISC. >  Use DirectWrite (May improve rendering special characters, need to restart Notepad++)

Keep in mind that enabling this option may cause some performance issues.

References: #9805, #9747, #2287, #3747, #8702, #8613

Notepad ++ is created only for systems from the MS Windows family (list of currently supported OS versions). Due to lack of human resources, there are no plans to porting Notepad++ to other systems. If necessary, you can try use some Windows API emulator (e.g. Wine under Linux or similar solutions for Mac OS). You can also use some virtual machines software.

Keep in mind that the above solutions introduce an additional layer, which may reduce program performance, also not everything may work properly.

References: 9816, 7548, 6151, 5162, 332, 108.