This is a short write-up on how to get Notepad++ to work with your game, which basically only means setting up Unreal Script highlighting.

Video Version

Subject: Setting up a Notepad++ Environment
Skill Level: Beginner
Run-Time: 6Min
Author: Michael Allar
Notes: A video-guided process of RTFM for Notepad++

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Download:     Low-Res (12MB) Hi-Res (25MB)

Written Version

Subject: Setting up a Notepad++ Environment
Skill Level: Beginner
Author: Notepad++
Notes: One of many ways to set up a development environment for UDK.
Prerequisites: UDK

Acquiring The Software

  1. Download and Install Notepad++ (Listed under Binary Files)
  2. Download the UnrealScript Highlighter for Notepad++

Setting Up Unreal Script Highlighting

These instructions are directly taken from the download page of Notepad++ (here) under the User Defined Language Files section.

  1. Download the user-defined language to your computer
  2. Open the file with your favourite text editor (such as notepad++ or notepad)
  3. Click start, run, (or hit Windows Key + R), and  type (or paste in) %APPDATA%\Notepad++ then click ok
  4. Open userDefineLang.xml with a text editor if it exists, if not, create a new file named userDefineLang.xml
  5. If this is the first userdefined language you are adding, copy/paste the entire first file (which you downloaded) into the userDefineLang.xml, replacing all that was there. If this is the second or more language you add, simply copy everything from the first file starting at <UserLang…> to </UserLang> and paste it at the end of the userDefineLang.xml right before </NotepadPlus>
  6. Save the newly improved userDefineLang.xml
  7. Restart Notepad++

Your Done!

Now while you don’t get the fancy organizational features you’d get with something like nFringe, Notepad++ should suffice for your code making needs. To build/compile/test your code however, you will need to use the UnrealFrontend instead of the build buttons in Visual Studio.

Credit

The people over at Notepad++ for documenting how to install a user-defined file :D

Michael Allar