Open multiple .txt files

[Guest]

Unlike previous versions of windows, Vista is not allowing me to open a large
number of text files for editing. There are logistical reasons for doing so,
so please tell me how I can.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/co...icrosoft.public.windows.vista.file_management

 

[Dave]

Vista doesn't open anything.... what program are you trying to use?
Notepad?
Wordpad?
Word?
Edlin? (believe it or not, it's still here!)

 

[P. Di Stolfo]

Yes, and edit.com, too!
Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo
....

 

[Guest]

My apologies for not using the correct verbage.
Using Vista's Explorer you can select an object (via various ways) and press
enter to execute/open the object with the associated program or you can right
click on an object, or in my case objects and you are given a pop up menu of
actions to take. In Vista, once more than 15 text (.TXT) files are selected
and you press enter, nothing happens! And if you right click on the group of
files you can see why: the ability to "Open" them with ANY program is
disabled. There are logistical reasons for doing so please tell me how I can.
I hope this deeper detail helps, thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Vista DOES open programs and in the case of text (.txt) files: passes the
file name (with path) to the program designated for the extension type. As I
stated! Vista is not allowing me to open a large number (or anything over
fifteen) of text files (with the specified editor) for editing.
If you would have at least tried to 'open' a mere sixteen text files using
explorer you would have seen the problem has nothing to do with the
executable program assigned to edit text files and has everything to do with
how explorer is disallowing it to happen! Clearly not only are you wrong but
if you would have taken the seconds required to investigate my question,
combined with a knowledge of Vista justifying an answer in this forum: You
would have been able to produce an effective answer as opposed to pure
sarcasm.
Please keep your sarcasm out of forums as it reduces perception of your IQ.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

No sarcasm, but it does depend on the program you are using.

I use several hex editors and one notopad replacement. With the original
Notepad, opening a separate instance for each file is the default. With the
notepad replacement, you must select an option to enable this behavior in
the preferences. Both of the hex editors also have this capability as an
option. If this option is not selected, all of the files are opened in one
instance of the editor and you must use the menu to navigate between the
different files.

 

[Guest]

It seems you are trying to help but, If anyone tried to reproduce at least
the first step it would become clear that every single response I've received
is irrelevant. I employ anyone to select--say twenty text files (in Vista
Ultimate with default settings) and right click on it. You will find there is
absolutely no option to open anything! You cannot open, edit, view, print...
with any program:
Notepad
Wordpad
Word
Edlin
edit.com
or any kind of HexEditor

So I hope you understand how I see the two answers as sarcasm-- since Vista
IS the problem!!! Hence my search for help in a Vista forum!

FYI I'm running Vista Ultimate 32 on a machine with a 5.3 rating.
FYI 2, the default program for text files is Notepad, if I would have made
changes contrary to the fact I would have known to point that fact out-- 24
years ago when I wrote my first program.

 

[Jane C]

I have just replicated your issue. It would appear that 15 is the maximum
number of files that can be opened at once (text files using Notepad). Why
this limit, I do not know. Any number of files up to and including 15 gives
the "Open" etc options. 16 or over does not.

 

[Dave]

It would have helped if you had stated this in the original, rather terse
post.

I did try this after another poster, in another group, asked about not being
able to open 16 or more files. He provided enough detail to describe the
problem that I could test it. And yes, more than 15 instances of Notepad
will not open.
I do not know why this limit is imposed. It is not a limit in XP.

There are a number of editors that will allow you to open multiple files,
although not the way you are used to. I use EditPad Lite.

And I wrote my first program 32 years ago

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Hi Jane

The "at once" is an important distinction that the OP did not mention in the
original message. I see the same as you, I can open 15 at once, but I have
had as many as 150 running at the same time with Notepad.

I have a Hex Editor that will allow opening 25 at once, but it only allows a
maximum of 40 instances running at the same time. I also have one of the
notepad replacements that will not open more than 1 text file at once and
does not allow more than one instance running at the same time.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

You should have detailed this in the original post. I took the post to mean
that you could not have more than 16 text files 'running at the same time'
which you can if you just keep opening 15 at a time. I have had as many as
150 text files running at the same time using Notepad.

But, I believe that this still depends on the program that is being used. I
have a Hex Editor (UltraEdit32) that will allow opening 25 text files at
once, but it only allows a maximum of 40 instances running at the same time.
I also have one of the notepad replacements that will not open more than 1
text file at once and does not allow more than one instance running at the
same time.

 

[Jane C]

Hi Ronnie,

I sussed out what the OP meant

Do you know if the Notepad 'at once' limit was changed in Vista? I can't
say that it was something that I ever used to do in XP, so not sure if it is
a Vista limit or a Notepad limit. I assume that it might make a difference
if another application was set as the default for opening .txt files? Or is
it, as the OP suggests, an Explorer issue?

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Jane

I can't get to my XP system right now.

I do remember that if you tried to open a large amount of text files in XP
that you would get a pop-up warning that 'continuing might slow the system
down and take a long time'.