notepad++ adding extra lines to a file

Question

I've been bugged with this problem for ages and I just tried to ignore it, but when I open files for the first time that was saved from a mac/unix box, I get to see an extra line break after each line:

something like

this

which is pretty

annoying

What I usually do is just do one of the many fixes for this behavior in google, like the TextFX solution to delete all blank lines.

But I am just curious as to why this happens. Why? Why does it not happen again even if I save the file, push it to the git repo(and when it gets edited by another user in a mac/unix) I don't get this problem anymore?

EDIT

the git problem was a problem I had before but our current problem right now is that we are uploading files using rail's paperclip, which saves it to the file system(we are using a windows machine). when we open the files, we see it as "macintosh" "ansi" even if the server is running on windows. is there a way to make it open it with the proper encoding by default?

Answer 1

I've been struggling with the same issue for several years, but after reading this post and trying some settings in Notepad++ it didn't appear to be Notepad++ that's changing the LF or CR settings.

My 'problem' was caused by a Filezilla setting, with which I download the files from my website to edit them in Notepad++.

In Filezilla I had a lot of extensions in the setting 'Automatic file type classification' (go to Edit > Settings > Transfers > File types). After I cleared them all and re-downloaded my file it opened just fine in Notepad++, no more extra line breaks. Also tested to edit the file, upload it, download and edit it again.

So, in Notepad++ my default setting for new files is:

• Encoding: ANSI
• Format: Windows

And in Filezilla the settings are:

• Transfer type: Auto
• Automatic file type classifications: extensions list is empty

This solved my problem.

Hope it helps.

Answer 2

It would help to get some more information like

1. What editor are you using on Mac/Unix?
2. When you open it in Notepad++ what does it say in the status bar? Dos/Unix/Mac?
3. Does it also happen if the file doesn't go through git?

Line endings have been troublesome for a long time when passing files between systems and you can read more about it on Wikipedia. The trouble comes from Windows using CR+LF as line breaks, Mac using only CR and Unix using only LF (I know this isn't a hard and fast rule but in general).

When using an editor expecting a file in Unix format and receiving a file in Windows format the editor can incorrectly interpret the CR+LF as two linebreaks instead of one. It's also common that this shows itself as trailing characters on each line, usually a square or other nonsense.

You should be able to check if this is what's happening to you in Notepad++ by going to View->Show Symbol->Show End of Line. You should also be able to fix this by using the Edit->EOL Conversion function.

It's also possible that this is caused by or can be solved in your git settings. Git has three settings, core.eol, core.safecrlf and core.autocrlf that you can read more about at the git config manpage