Notepad2text

Convert Amstrad NC100 Notepad word processor files to RTF or plain text

Latest Release: 1.1.0

Notepad2Text is an updated version of a 1990s program originally written by Maksim Lin for converting Amstrad NC100 Notepad word processor files to Rich Text Format (RTF). The tool has been modernized to run on contemporary Unix-based systems, including Linux and macOS, allowing NC100 users to preserve and access their documents on modern hardware.

The Amstrad NC100 Notepad was a popular portable word processor in the 1990s, known for its exceptional battery life and compact design. While these devices are now vintage, many users still have valuable documents stored in the proprietary .npd format. Notepad2Text bridges the gap between past and present, making these files accessible once again.

The Amstrad NC100 Notepad. Image © Tony Smith 2025

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Installation

Installing Notepad2Text is straightforward. The tool is written in C and can be compiled on any Unix-based system with a C compiler.

Clone the repository and compile the source code:

git clone https://github.com/smittytone/Notepad2Text.git
cd Notepad2Text
gcc -o notepad2text np-rtf.c

Once compiled, you can copy the executable to a location in your system PATH for easy access:

sudo mv notepad2text /usr/local/bin

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How to Use Notepad2Text

Basic RTF Conversion

The most common use case is converting an NC100 Notepad file to RTF format. Simply provide the path to your .npd file:

notepad2text test.npd

This will create test.rtf in the same directory as your input file. The RTF file can be opened in most modern word processors, including Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, Apple Pages and many others.

Plain Text Conversion

If you prefer plain text output without formatting, use the --text flag:

notepad2text --text test.npd

This creates test.txt in the same directory, containing just the text content without any formatting codes. This is particularly useful if you want to:

Import the text into a modern text editor.
Paste content into a web form or content management system.
Process the text with other command-line tools.
Archive documents in a simple, future-proof format.

Line Endings

Both RTF and plain text outputs use Unix-style line endings (LF) rather than DOS-style (CRLF). This is the standard on Linux and macOS systems and is widely supported by modern text editors on all platforms.

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You might also be interested in these tools for working with vintage document formats:

word2text — Convert Psion Series 3 Word documents to text or Markdown

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Source Code

You can view Notepad2text’s source code at GitHub.

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Related Software

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