Switched to AkelPad, a Powerful Notepad Replacement

I was using Notepad 2 along with Notepad++. Notepad++ is feature richer but it lacks of an x64 build, while Notepad 2 obviously lacks of lots of features.

A few days along, I came across AkelPad by Internet search, and now I am happy with it except the following facts,

• The developers are not Windows UAC aware. As this application is not designed for Windows Vista and above, you have to install it to a safe place, such as D:\AkelPad on my machine. In this way you will hit less issues.
• The installer sucks as it tries to replace Notepad.exe in the copy and replace manner. Please don’t use the replace Notepad mode while installing it. Later I will share a tip on how to replace Notepad in a much better way.
• There is no shell extension to bind to Windows Explorer context menu like Notepad++. Cannot imagine why not.

So please follow the tips to resolve the cons if you feel the same,

Replace Notepad

A better way is to use a registry key hack (Process Explorer uses this approach too),

1. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options node, and add a new key notepad.exe.
2. Add a string value to this new key, and pointed to the path of AkelPad.exe with /Z, such as "D:\AkelPad\AkelPad.exe" /Z.

Add to Context Menu

1. Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell node, and add a new key named Open with AkelPad.
2. Under this new key, add command as a new key.
3. Change the (Default) value to the path of AkelPad.exe with %1, such as "d:\AkelPad\AkelPad.exe" %1.

Enable Coder Plugins

By default, syntax highlighting is not enabled, so you need to click Options

Plug-ins menu item, and then enable them in Plugins window.

Hope you like AkelPad. If you have any comments, you may join its forum.