How to make Internet Explorer's “view source” command work with another editor than Notepad

Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4 or 2000.

Under Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4 and 2000, Microsoft Internet Explorer's view source command is hard-wired to use Notepad.exe to show HTML source. However, there is a way to make it use your favorite text or HTML editor, such as EditPad Pro. The trick is to replace Notepad.exe with the program you want to use.

The exact steps to replace Notepad.exe with your favorite text editor depend on your version of Windows.

Changing the MSIE “view source editor”
with Tweak UI under Windows XP

If you are using Windows XP, you can download the TweakUI PowerToy for Windows XP from Microsoft's web site. The package is just over half a megabyte in size. It is a self-extracting installation program. The TweakUI program allows you to change various settings in Windows that normally cannot be made. It goes without saying that this program should be used with care. However, there is no danger in using the description below to change Internet Explorer's “view source editor”.

Start the TweakUI program after downloading and installing it. You can find it under Start, All Programs, PowerToys, TweakUI.

In the left hand tree view, expand the “Internet Explorer” item and then click on “view source”. The right hand pane will now show the current view source editor and allow you to change it.

Click on the “Change Program” button. A file selection window will appear. Use it to find the text or HTML editor you want to use, and click on the Open button. If you downloaded and installed EditPad Pro, you can find it in C:\Program Files\JGsoft\EditPadPro\. In the file selection Window, click on the My computer at the left. Then click on the C drive and the Program Files, JGsoft and EditPadPro folders respectively in the file list. Then double-click on EditPadPro.exe

Changing the view source editor with Tweak UI under Windows XP


Page URL: http://www.Notepad-Replacements.com/viewsource.html
Last Modified: 10 May 2003
Copyright © 2002 Jan Goyvaerts. All rights reserved.