Issues with printing selection since version 8.4

[saua13]

Description of the Issue

Since version 8.4 the text background on a print (only while printing selection) is pink, it's unusable if you're going to print it on a b/w printer.

Steps to Reproduce the Issue

1. Select some lines
2. Print the selection (happens automatically if something is selected)
3. As I said, since version 8.4 the background is pink (I tested that with the portable versions too)

Please add an option to change the background while printing a selection or change it back to no background.

Debug Information

Notepad++ v8.4 (64-bit)
Build time : Apr 20 2022 - 03:31:06
Path : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
Command Line :
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : OFF
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 11 (64-bit)
OS Version : 2009
OS Build : 25126.1000
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : ComparePlugin.dll mimeTools.dll NppConverter.dll NppExport.dll

Example Screenshots

Printing the complete document

Printing only some lines

8.4 and above

8.33 and below

[saua13]

Sorry, forget to add a scan of the printed page:

[pryrt]

this Forum post came after, but seems to be related. The user in the Forum added the information that Settings > Preferences > Print had Colour Options = Black on White.

Notepad++ v8.4.2   (64-bit)
Build time : May 29 2022 - 16:47:30
Path : C:\usr\local\apps\npp\npp.8.4.2.portable.x64\notepad++.exe
Command Line : 
Admin mode : OFF
Local Conf mode : ON
Cloud Config : OFF
OS Name : Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit) 
OS Version : 20H2
OS Build : 19042.1586
Current ANSI codepage : 1252
Plugins : 
    BetterMultiSelection (1.5)
    mimeTools (2.8)
    NppConverter (4.4)
    NppExport (0.4)
    NppTaskList (2.4)
    PythonScript (2)

Screenshot of NPP

Screenshot of Preferences

Screenshot of PDF in PDF viewer

I definitely agree that it's a bug if the settings are set to Black on White but it still prints selected text with a background color.

[rdipardo]

The current version of SciTE does not have this problem in black-on-white printing mode:

#~ %USERPROFILE%\SciTEUser.properties
print.colour.mode=2

Only difference I can see is that SciTE stores the selected text in an instance of Sci_RangeToFormatFull — since 5.2.3: https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/scite/ci/default/tree/win32/SciTEWinDlg.cxx#l625

N++ could do the same after #11734 is merged, but the benefit would be nil as they already enlarged the printable range beyond 2 GiB in 961a133, and swapping in Sci_RangeToFormatFull made no difference when I tried it.

[donho]

It should be fixed in Scintilla newest version which is now merged in Notepad++ master:
Fix pink selection background when printing by making it completely transparent.
ref: https://www.scintilla.org/ScintillaHistory.html

[mosin44]

As of 9 days ago, the bug is proclaimed to have been fixed. However, there is apparently no updated release of N++. When should we expect the build that includes this bug fix?

[pryrt]

As of 9 days ago, the bug is proclaimed to have been fixed. However, there is apparently no updated release of N++. When should we expect the build that includes this bug fix?

The release candidate 8.4.3 includes the upgrade to Scintilla 5.2.3. Have you tried that version yet?

[mosin44]

Thank you for a really quick response. I'll try that release candidate.

However, I am also interested in the expected schedule for non "candidate" release, as I am a regular user, not a developer.

[mosin44]

I just installed the RC and tested printing a selection. The result certainly does not match my expectations.

My expectation is syntax-highlight colored text on NO background (that is what I selected).

The result is that the selection is printed with a gray background. Depending on the syntax highlighting (e.g. text literals in light gray), the printed output is quite difficult to read.

Selection highlighting is NOT a component that one would expect to print, no matter the color scheme.

My print options are set to "No background color". This option is clearly being ignored.

[techdan]

Confirmed that 8.4.3 does not resolve this issue.

Now rather than printing the highlighted selection with a purple background, it prints with a grey background. All previous versions of NPP prior to 8.4 printed with NO background.

Please revert this change.

[alankilborn]

I am also interested in the expected schedule for non "candidate" release, as I am a regular user, not a developer.

There has never been a published "expected schedule" before, so I don't think there will be one now. You just have to wait and see like the rest of us.

[rdipardo]

@donho, new upstream patch to try: https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/bugs/2335/#b237

[donho]

@rdipardo

Got these errors:

$ git apply --check /c/Users/xxxx/xxxxxx/HidePrinting.patch
error: patch failed: scintilla/src/EditView.cxx:2357
error: scintilla/src/EditView.cxx: patch does not apply

[rdipardo]

Got these errors

Use the --ignore-whitespace option and try this git-ified version (actually a unified diff of four related changesets [1]):

HidePrinting.git.patch.4.npp.txt

Or just wait for Scintilla 5.3.0, since upstream has already committed the fix.

---

[1]:

• https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/code/ci/746451d83613c8ec143dc8e6def060bcf9be5098
• https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/code/ci/fc46d7ed1f9393b8f0a577d72016c3c4da9c465c
• https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/code/ci/ac7c97b3df20316a75fd20d1392d8bc9570be516
• https://sourceforge.net/p/scintilla/code/ci/3a40bb79a28176cc458dc181de6ad8e26e5af24b

[donho]

Let's wait Scintilla v5.2.5 for updating, if the bug is fixed.

[rdipardo]

@techdan, @mosin44, @saua13

This development build may resolve the printing issue: https://ci.appveyor.com/project/donho/notepad-plus-plus/builds/44597613/job/9mii1ux7a1w0w0ht/artifacts

[donho]

Fixed by
#12045

[mosin44]

@techdan, @mosin44, @saua13

This development build may resolve the printing issue: https://ci.appveyor.com/project/donho/notepad-plus-plus/builds/44597613/job/9mii1ux7a1w0w0ht/artifacts

I tested with this build, and verify that the problem appears to be finally resolved.

Thanks to all involved.