10 Cool Notepad Tricks You Should Know

Notepad is a simple note-taking app available on Windows. Its function is to create and save text notes. It is easy to use and does not require any additional installation.

Notepads are often overlooked, but they have great potential in improving your day-to-day productivity. Despite its simple appearance, Notepad has a variety of functions that many users are usually unaware of. By using certain tricks, you can make Notepad a handy tool in various situations.

1. Create a Digital Diary

You can use Notepad to create a digital diary that automatically records the date and time each time you open a file. It’s very easy:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Type “.LOG” in the first line, without the quotes.
3. Save the file with the name and extension you want. For example, you can save under the name LogHarian.txt.

Each time you open the file, Notepad will automatically add a timestamp (date and time) to the end of the document. You can start writing your daily log right after that timestamp.

2. Creating a Bat File

Notepad can be used to create batch files (.bat) that can run commands in the Command Prompt. This is very useful for automating certain tasks. A simple example:

echo off

echo Hello, World!

pause

Save the file with the .bat extension  and run it to see the result.

3. Convert Text to Voice

You can use Notepad to create scripts that convert text to speech using the Speech API feature on Windows. Here’s how:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

Dim message, sapi

message = InputBox(“Enter the text you want to hear:”, “Text to Speech”)

Set sapi = CreateObject(“sapi.spvoice”)

sapi.Speak message

• Save the file with the .vbs extension.
• Run the file and enter the text you want to hear.

4. Create a Timer

You can create a simple timer using Notepad and VBScript. Here are some examples:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

WScript.Sleep 10000

MsgBox “ Time has run out!”

• Save the file with the .vbs extension.
• Run the file and wait 10 seconds to see the message.

5. Creating Fake Error Messages

You can create fake error messages to have fun with your friends. Here’s how:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

X=MsgBox(“Error: Your system has been infected with a virus!”, 16, “Virus Detected”)

• Save the file with the .vbs extension.
• Run the file to see the fake error message.

6. Create a Simple Calculator

You can create a simple calculator using Notepad and VBScript. Here are some examples:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

Dim a,  b,  result

a = InputBox(“Enter the first number:”, “Simple Calculator”)

b = InputBox(“Enter the second number:”, “Simple Calculator”)

result = a + b

MsgBox “Result: “ & result

• Save the file with the .vbs extension.
• Run the file and enter a number to see the results.

7. Create a Shutdown Timer

You can create a timer to shut down the computer using Notepad and batch files. Here’s how:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

echo off

shutdown -s -t 60

• Save the file with the .bat extension.
• Run the file to shut down your computer in 60 seconds.

8. Creating Files That Can’t Be Deleted

To create files that can’t be deleted using Notepad, you can use some creative methods that take advantage of Windows features. However, keep in mind that this method doesn’t make files 100% unerasable, but it will make them more difficult for ordinary users to delete.

Windows has several file names that are prohibited because they are used by the system, such as “con”, “nul”, “prn”, and others. You can create files with these names so that they cannot be deleted in the usual way.

You can create files that can’t be deleted using Notepad and Command Prompt. Here’s how:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Type “md \.\con\”, without the quotes and save the file with the .bat extension.
3. You can replace con with a nul, prn, or other special name that you can’t remove.
4. Run the file to create a folder that can’t be deleted

9. Creating Files that Lock Folders

You can create batch files to lock folders with a password. Here’s how:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

cls
ECHO OFF
title Folder Locker
if EXIST “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}” goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Locker goto MDLOCKER
:CONFIRM
echo Are you sure you want to lock this folder? (Y/N)
set/p “cho=>“
if %cho%==Y goto LOCK
if %cho%==y goto LOCK
if %cho%==N goto END
if %cho%==n goto END
echo Invalid choice.
goto CONFIRM
:LOCK
ren Locker “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
attrib +h +s “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
echo Locked folder
goto End
:UNLOCK
echo Enter password to unlock folder
set/p “pass=>“
if NOT %pass%== PASSWORD goto FAIL
attrib -h -s “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
ren “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}” Locker
echo Open folder
goto End
:FAIL
echo Wrong password
goto end
:MDLOCKER
md Locker
echo Locker created
goto End
:End

• Replace PASSWORD with the password you want.
• Save the file with the .bat extension.
• Run the file to lock or unlock the folder.

10. Creating Files That Delete Themselves

You can create a batch file that deletes itself after it is run. Here’s how:

• Open Notepad.
• Copy and paste the following code:

echo off

del %0

• Save the file with the .bat extension.
• Run the file to delete itself.

Conclusion

By understanding and utilizing the tricks above, you can optimize the use of Notepad in your daily activities. Feel free to try and explore further, as Notepad has a lot of potential that you may not have realized.