How to Format XML In Notepad++?

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To format XML in Notepad++, follow these steps:

  1. Open Notepad++ application.
  2. Go to "Plugins" in the menu bar and select "XML Tools."
  3. A sub-menu will appear. Click on "Pretty Print (XML only with line breaks)."
  4. Now, open the XML file you want to format in Notepad++.
  5. Select the entire XML code by pressing CTRL + A.
  6. Go back to the "Plugins" menu and choose "XML Tools" again.
  7. This time, select "Pretty Print (XML only with indents)."
  8. The XML code will now be properly indented and formatted, making it easier to read and navigate.
  9. You can also use keyboard shortcuts to format XML. Press CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + B to automatically format the XML code.


Formatting the XML in Notepad++ helps to improve readability, making it easier to identify the hierarchy and structure of the XML elements.

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How to open an XML file in Notepad++?

To open an XML file in Notepad++, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open Notepad++ on your computer.
  2. Select "File" from the top menu.
  3. Click on "Open" or press Ctrl+O.
  4. Browse to the location where the XML file is saved on your computer.
  5. Select the XML file you want to open and click "Open" in the File Explorer dialog.
  6. The XML file will open in a new tab in Notepad++, where you can view and edit its contents.


Note: If you don't see the XML file in the file browser dialog, make sure to change the file type filter to "XML Files (*.xml)" to show only XML files.


What is the XML tag matching feature in Notepad++ and how to use it?

The XML tag matching feature in Notepad++ is a useful tool that helps users navigate and work with XML code more effectively. When enabled, it highlights the opening and closing tags of an XML document, making it easier to identify the structure and hierarchy of the data.


To use the XML tag matching feature in Notepad++, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open Notepad++.
  2. Go to the "Plugins" menu and select "XML Tools".
  3. In the "XML Tools" submenu, enable the "Tag auto-close" and "Tag match highlighting" options.
  4. Open an XML file or create a new one.
  5. As you write XML code, Notepad++ will automatically close the opening tag when you enter the closing angle bracket (>). For example, if you type .
  6. When your cursor is on a closing tag or an opening tag, Notepad++ will highlight the corresponding opening or closing tag in the document. This helps in identifying the start and end of different XML elements.


The XML tag matching feature greatly enhances the readability and coding experience when working with XML documents in Notepad++. It simplifies navigation and debugging, ensuring that XML tags are properly closed and elements are well-formed.


How to remove extra spaces from XML code in Notepad++?

To remove extra spaces from XML code in Notepad++, you can utilize the built-in regex capabilities. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  1. Open your XML file in Notepad++.
  2. Press Ctrl + H to open the "Find and Replace" window.
  3. In the "Find what" field, enter the following regex pattern: \h+ This pattern will match one or more consecutive spaces or tabs.
  4. Leave the "Replace with" field empty.
  5. Enable the "Regular expression" search mode.
  6. Click on the "Replace All" button to remove all extra spaces from the XML code.
  7. Save the modified file.


The regex pattern will find all occurrences of multiple consecutive spaces and replace them with nothing, effectively removing the extra spaces in your XML code.


What is the shortcut for commenting/uncommenting XML code in Notepad++?

The shortcut for commenting/uncommenting XML code in Notepad++ is:

  • Comment: Ctrl + Q
  • Uncomment: Ctrl + Shift + Q


Note: These shortcuts work for both single-line and multi-line comments in XML code.

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