Launch Notepad++ from the shell while automatically detecting file type for syntax highlighting, even if file extension is missing.

npp

#!/bin/bash
# 9th July 2014

lang() {
  lang=
  if [ -f "$1" ]; then

    # keep reading until $line non empty
    # ':' means "Do Nothing"
    while read line && [ -z "$line" ]; do :; done < "$1"
  
    case $line in
  
      # if shebang present, read language from it
      \#\!/*)
         #!/usr/bin/python          =>   python
         #!/usr/bin/env python      =>   python
         #!/usr/bin/env python -c   =>   python
         lang=$(echo "$line" | sed 's#.*/##;s/\s\+-.*//;s/.*\s//');
         if [ "$lang" == "sh" ]; then
           lang=bash
         fi
         ;;

      # otherwise, if '<' and '>' present, it's xml
      *\<*\>*)
         lang=xml
         ;;

      %YAML*)
         lang=yaml
         ;;

      *)
         lang=
         ;;
    esac
  fi

  echo $lang
}


LANG=$(lang "$1")

if [ -n "$LANG" ]; then
  L=-l$LANG
else
  L=
fi

cmd.exe //c start "" "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" $L "$@"