Key Details of MemPad

  • Outline plain text and take notes with structured index.
  • Last updated on
  • Virus scan status:

    Clean (it's extremely likely that this software program is clean)


Editors' Review

Download.com staff

MemPad is a free tool for taking plain text notes and saving them in one large, searchable file with a highly structured index that enables not only typical file management features but also the ability to create wide-ranging links between saved notes, Web pages, network locations, and local files and folders. You can even insert variables into links to do things like run programs and open files.

MemPad is compact and fully portable, so it requires no full installation to run, even from a portable device like a USB drive. It stores everything in its data file in the default program folder, but like many aspects of MemPad, you can change settings to suit, including fonts, background, and Hotkeys; as well as configure features such as AutoSave, Diary support, and password protection. There's also a very good Help menu that explains this versatile program's options, which include encryption, exporting, and console commands. The simple interface sports a suite of versatile icons above the split-paneled default view: files and folders to the left; main panel on the right. We clicked New Page, renamed it, and started typing in the main field. We clicked to save the page, and then clicked the Add Next icon, which added a second entry in the left-hand tree view. When we'd saved that one, we clicked the Add as a Child icon, which added a sub-entry directed to the selected parent entry. You can do this all day, by the way, in MemPad; it can store a lot of entries and yet quickly retrieve or rearrange them, thanks to good design, such as a set of four-way arrows, similar to your TV remote, right on the icon bar. Clicking these instantly moved an entry up or down an individual directory, or up or down the hierarchy. Other icons made it simple to cut or delete a page or node, perform searches, jump back or forth using the Page Memory function, and quickly toggle word wrap, page lock, always on top, and other useful options.

MemPad is fast, easy, efficient, portable, and, best of all, free. Spend a few minutes learning to use it, and we doubt you'll want to spend money on a commercial notekeeper.

What's new in version 3.66

  • Bugfix: system tray icon resolution
  • Bugfix: Launcher.txt, Lookup.txt issue with relative paths
  • System tray left click: brings window to the foreground, if it does not have the focus
  • If password input window is aborted: warning message will only show once and not again
  • Encrypted file, stand-by or hybernate: password is asked again after resuming
  • Export window adjustments
  • PureBasic compiler 5.71


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Full Specifications

GENERAL
Release
Latest update
Version
3.66
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Platform
Windows
Operating System
  • Windows 2000
  • Windows XP
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Vista
Additional Requirements
None
POPULARITY
Total Downloads
3,485
Downloads Last Week
1

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Program available in other languages


Last Updated


User Reviews

4.2/5

5 User Votes


Developer's Description

Outline plain text and take notes with structured index.

MemPad is a plain text outliner and note taking program with a structured index. All pages are stored in a single file. User interface available in 16 languages. Unicode. The program offers standard editing functions including cut, copy, paste, undo, date/time insert, drag&drop, and supports Web links as well as network and local file or folder links (full path not required) and internal page links. Environment variables can be used in file links to run programs.

The index structure can be modified by buttons, context menu or hotkeys. MemPad always saves data without prompting (when closing Mempad or opening another file).Optional auto save (every 4 minutes). Automatic backup (can be disabled by option); restore last backup, reload file. Search through all pages or within a node; continue searching forwards or backwards; Replace. Sort nodes (siblings) ascending/descending. Word wrap mode, Read-only file handling, page locking (global or individual); memory stack (pages, text positions) for browser type back/forw. jumping. Options include: Selectable font, Background color, Minimize to System Tray, Hotkey, Always on top, ESC shortcut to quit or minimize.

Popup menus with user defined words or expressions to insert, optionally with date and time tokens. Configurable Web look up (dictionary etc.) through context menu. Mini Launcher (through Tool button, menu, System Tray). Diary support with year/month/day index structure. Go to (or create) today's page with a key stroke. Export page, node or all to a file or directly to another program; import functions. Insert text file as page.

Password protected encryption, optionally in Win98 compatible mode. MemPad operates in file environments (by extension and/or directory), each with its own INI file. No Registry entries. File/Open menu within a chosen file environment; optional "New Window". Help is provided as MemPad file (in English).