Npp is stuck in Task Manager after closing due to PreviewHTML.

[windvane]

Npp is stuck in Task Manager after closing due to PreviewHTML.

Notepad++ v8.9.7 x64

[rdipardo]

Some more details would be helpful, i.e.:

• Is the browser engine MS Edge or Internet Explorer? Go to Plugins>Preview HTML>About on the menu bar and screenshot the dialog window.

• Are you using a filter to generate HTML? If so, it could be the generator program is not terminating its thread before Notepad++ shuts down. Try closing the preview panel before shutting down Notepad++ (to kill all running threads), then check the task manager again.

[windvane]

No, I'm not using a filter to generate HTML. Before shutting down npp, no preview panel is open.

[rdipardo]

Good info, thanks.
Are you running Windows 7, or is that a custom shell theme?

[windvane]

Yes, I'm running Windows 7.

[rdipardo]

@windvane

Please try a development build and see if it resolves the issue:
https://app.circleci.com/pipelines/github/rdipardo/npp_preview/48/workflows/cbc88b14-5ed9-4ace-9df0-bc159b4961ae/jobs/60/artifacts

[windvane]

No, it doesn't solve the issue. However, I found that once this function Preview HTML is executed after opening npp, then it won't be stuck in the Taskbar Manager when closing. (Both in Preview HTML 1.4.5.0 and 1.4.5.1)

[rdipardo]

I found that once this function Preview HTML is executed after opening npp, then it won't be stuck in the Taskbar Manager when closing. (Both in Preview HTML 1.4.5.0 and 1.4.5.1)

I am using Windows 10/11 and my experience is the opposite of yours. If I start Notepad++ with version 1.4.5 loaded, and I do not run any plugin functions, then all handles are released when Notepad++ closes. But if I do run the preview function, then the browser handles will be left open after shutdown ¹:

With the patched version (1.4.5.1), it seems all handles get released in every case — on Windows 10/11 with Edge version 150.0.4078.65, that is.

I will try to get access to a Windows 7 PC and see what else could be happening.

Footnotes

1. Screenshot taken with System Informer. ↩