# Metapad

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Metapad.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metapad
> Source revision: 1299365686
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Open-source text editor software}}
{{multiple issues|
{{Primary sources|date=March 2019}}
{{notability|Products|date=September 2014}}
}}

{{Infobox software
| name                   = Metapad
| logo                   = Metapad icon.png
| screenshot             = Metapad 3.6 screenshot.png
| caption                = Version 3.6 screenshot
| developer              = Alexander Davidson
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q11777663|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date    = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q11777663|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q11777663|P348|P548=Q51930650}}
| latest preview date    = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q11777663|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| operating system       = [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows)
| genre                  = [Text editor](/source/Text_editor)
| programming language   = [C](/source/C_(programming_language)) (using [ANSI C](/source/ANSI_C) standards)
| license                = [GPL-3.0-or-later](/source/GNU_General_Public_License)
| website                = {{URL|liquidninja.com/metapad}}
}}
'''Metapad''' is an [open-source](/source/open-source_software) [text editor](/source/text_editor) for [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows) [9x](/source/Windows_9x)/[NT](/source/Windows_NT)/[XP](/source/Windows_XP)/[Vista](/source/Windows_Vista)/[7](/source/Windows_7), developed by Alexander Davidson since 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guesswork.org/metapad/ |title=Metapad home |website=www.guesswork.org |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223160500/http://www.guesswork.org/metapad/ |archive-date=23 February 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.welcome.to/metapad |title=Archived copy |website=www.welcome.to |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508115453/http://www.welcome.to/metapad |archive-date=8 May 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://members.tripod.com/~aadavids/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20000902161208/http://members.tripod.com/~aadavids/|archive-date = 2000-09-02|title = Metapad home}}</ref><ref>[http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/metapad.txt metapad 3.5, The Ultimate Notepad Replacement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414134619/http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/metapad.txt |date=2008-04-14 }}, November 2005, liquidninja website, retrieved 11:14 p.m. Tuesday, 22 April 2008.</ref> The aim of Metapad is to provide a near drop-in replacement of [Notepad](/source/Notepad_(Windows)) in Windows. Metapad was distributed as [freeware](/source/freeware) for the first ten years of its existence.  On March 20, 2009, the 10th anniversary of its initial release, the Metapad [source code](/source/source_code) was released under [GPL-3.0-or-later](/source/GNU_General_Public_License).<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://liquidninja.com/metapad-turns-ten/
|title=metapad turns ten
|date=21 March 2009
|publisher=Alexander Davidson
|accessdate=2009-05-19
}}
</ref>

Some of its key features include:<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/
|title=metapad
|publisher=
|accessdate=2007-10-08
}}
</ref>
*No file size limit under Windows 9x
*[UNIX](/source/UNIX) [text file](/source/text_file) support
*Commit [word wrap](/source/word_wrap)
*Tab and [newline](/source/newline) search
*[Hyperlinking](/source/Hyperlinking) support
*Auto-indent mode
*Block indent and unindent
*[Toolbar](/source/Toolbar) button for always on top
*Language [plugin](/source/Plug-in_(computing)) support (though English is [British](/source/British_English)-only)
*Can replace Windows Notepad
*A ‘portability mode’ to leave no traces in [Windows Registry](/source/Windows_Registry) or export your Metapad settings to a new computer

Metapad is programmed in pure [ANSI C](/source/ANSI_C) with the [Win32](/source/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.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/faq.html#Q16
|title=metaFAQ 
|publisher=
|accessdate=2007-10-08
}}
</ref>

== Reception ==
Metapad received 3.5/5 score in a 2013 ''[PCWorld](/source/PCWorld)'' review.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=O'Neill|first1=Mark|last2=freeware|first2=PCWorld {{!}} About {{!}} New finds in|last3=shareware|date=2013-09-26|title=Metapad review: Replace WordPad with this tiny, full-featured notepad|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2048851/metapad-review-replace-wordpad-with-this-tiny-full-featured-notepad.html|access-date=2020-09-26|website=PCWorld|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[List of text editors](/source/List_of_text_editors)
*[Comparison of text editors](/source/Comparison_of_text_editors)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.liquidninja.com/metapad/}}

Category:Windows text editors
Category:Notepad replacements
Category:Windows-only free software
Category:Free text editors
Category:Formerly proprietary software
Category:1999 software
Category:2011 software
Category:Software using the GNU General Public License

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Metapad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metapad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metapad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.