Notepad++ - Aligning text vertically in multiple columns

Question

I'm trying to align some lines in my code that has comments that could use with some alignment too. I used the notepad++ "Code-Alignment" plugin, and aligned the text below. ``` class Constants(object): VAL_CONST = 5 # Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet = 213 TEST_CONST = 0.2324 # Curabitur condimentum elementum = 32 PARALLEL_CONST = 88 # Vivamus vehicula, mauris nec vehicula pulvinar, urna nibh mollis = 1342 CURVE_SPATIAL_CONST = 0.000005892 # Donec sagittis in lacus = 0.55 ``` I end up with the following: ``` class Constants(object): VAL_CONST = 5 # Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet = 213 TEST_CONST = 0.2324 # Curabitur condimentum elementum= 32 PARALLEL_CONST = 88 # Vivamus vehicula, mauris nec vehicula pulvinar, urna nibh mollis = 1342 CURVE_SPATIAL_CONST = 0.000005892 # Donec sagittis in lacus %$ 0.55 ``` However, I'd like to take this a step further. I'd like to "re-align" the code one more time, this time on the second set of "equals" signs. Preferably without going through the comments to ch…

Accepted Answer

From `Code alignment` v3 it's possible with the help of regular expressions.

First you have to align the first equal as you already did, with the ordinary way `Plugins` > `Code alignment` > `Align by equals`.

Then, go to `Plugins` > `Code alignment` > `Align by...` (or hit Ctrl + Shift + =) and write the following expression:

```
.+(?<x>=)
```

Don't forget to check the "Use regular expressions" option. This expression will align only the last equal, instead of the first.

These two steps will return the desired result:

```
class Constants(object):
    VAL_CONST           = 5  # Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet                                        = 213
    TEST_CONST          = 0.2324  # Curabitur condimentum elementum                              = 32
    PARALLEL_CONST      = 88  # Vivamus vehicula, mauris nec vehicula pulvinar, urna nibh mollis = 1342
    CURVE_SPATIAL_CONST = 0.000005892  # Donec sagittis in lacus                                 = 0.55
```

Notepad++ - Aligning text vertically in multiple columns

Solution

Problem