good software to use to read basic text files

[minaleeny]

I am on windows 7 and I'm looking for a good software to use to read basic text files. The reason I don't like using notepad is because it doesn't read \n characters. And I don't really like the layout of wordpad either. So what is a good text editing software that can read \n characters?
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[Nighted]

Notepad2/Notepad2-mod does if you have show line endings selected.

[Trasd]

I bought EditPad Pro years ago and love it. I've never even considered using another text editor, since. It even supports syntax highlighting for XY's script files (a separate download/plugin). There is a free version:

EditPad Lite
EditPad Pro

[neminem]

Wordpad reads *nix-style newlines :p. It also sucks, but it does read *nix-style newlines.

Anyway, people around here tend to favor notepad++. I've used it, it's pretty good.

[FeatureCreep]

If you want something small and quick-to-load, just for this feature, try...

Metapad.
http://liquidninja.com/metapad/

---------------------

These are also free and portable and will do what you want.
In (approx.) order of size of feature set...

Notepad2
http://www.flos-freeware.ch/

TED Notepad
http://jsimlo.sk/notepad/

Notepad++
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

PSPad
http://www.pspad.com/en/

[tedy]

Notepad++ !
It's free and it can read Mac/Win/Unix files. After all those \n are that - line endings, and NP++ (and everything that is not Notepad to that matter ) can handle Unix (\n), Windows (\r\n) and Mac (older -> \r only) line endings.

Although for reading huge text files EditPad Pro proved to be the best. I've been testing editors with large files (1-5-10 GB in size), and EditPad Pro is the best to handle them.

[Enternal]

There's also a fork of Notepad2 that's also a few more really useful features implemented that's not available in the original. It also happens to be developed by the same person who works on MPC-HD (Media Player Classic HD), a quite popular media player that is included by default in K-Lite Codec Pack or CCCP.

Notepad2-mod
http://xhmikosr.github.io/notepad2-mod/

There is also AkelPad:
http://akelpad.sourceforge.net/en/index.php

EDIT: Nighted already said Notepad2-mod... lol.

[Nighted]

EDIT: Nighted already said Notepad2-mod... lol.

I think it's good to reiterate this. Notepad2-mod is quite excellent.

[wold643]

Which is the best for reading text files? I only need it to read text files and want it to have tabs option

Also any good program to read both pdf and txt files(and common ebook formats)?

[tux.]

I only need it to read text files and want it to have tabs option

Read or edit?

In case of editing: Are tabs mandatory? If so: GVim.
(If GVim is over your head, you might want to try Notepad++.)

Also any good program to read both pdf and txt files(and common ebook formats)?

PDF and TXT are not nearly identical. All non-TXT use cases you mentioned can be realized with Sumatra PDF.

[tux.]

If you want something small and quick-to-load, just for this feature, try...

Metapad.
http://liquidninja.com/metapad/

The Gun is faster:
http://www.movsd.com/thegun.htm

These are also free and portable and will do what you want.
In (approx.) order of size of feature set...

Notepad2
http://www.flos-freeware.ch/

TED Notepad
http://jsimlo.sk/notepad/

Notepad++
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

PSPad
http://www.pspad.com/en/

5. GVim
http://tuxproject.de/projects/vim/

6. GNU Emacs
http://www.gnu.org/s/emacs/

[wold643]

thank you !! will try them out

[binocular222]

Hardcore geek will want Sublime Text 3. It's perfect except for the lack of documentation (which I made a fairly comprehensive-and-concise documentation for myself )

[tux.]

Hardcore geek - me - switched from Sublime Text 3 alpha to GNU Emacs a few months ago, not being interested in repeatedly paying for updates.