Metapad

Metapad is an open-source text editor for Microsoft Windows 9x/NT/XP/Vista/7, developed by Alexander Davidson since 1999.^[3][4][5][6] The aim of Metapad is to provide a near drop-in replacement of Notepad in Windows. Metapad was distributed as freeware for the first ten years of its existence. On March 20, 2009, the 10th anniversary of its initial release, the Metapad source code was released under GPL-3.0-or-later.^[7]

Metapad
Version 3.6 screenshot
Developer(s)	Alexander Davidson
Stable release	3.6[1][2]  / 28 May 2011
Repository	github.com/alexd/metapad
Written in	C (using ANSI C standards)
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Text editor
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Website	liquidninja.com/metapad

Some of its key features include:^[8]

• No file size limit under Windows 9x
• UNIX text file support
• Commit word wrap
• Tab and newline search
• Hyperlinking support
• Auto-indent mode
• Block indent and unindent
• Toolbar button for always on top
• Language plugin support (though English is British-only)
• Can replace Windows Notepad
• A ‘portability mode’ to leave no traces in Windows Registry or export your Metapad settings to a new computer

Metapad is programmed in pure ANSI C with the Win32 API. There are two versions of Metapad: a full and LE (light edition) version. The full version uses the RichEdit control which boasts more features, while the LE version uses the faster Edit control.^[9]

Reception

Metapad received 3.5/5 score in a 2013 PCWorld review.^[10]

See also

• List of text editors
• Comparison of text editors