New book: Coding Faster: Getting More Productive with Microsoft Visual Studio

  • Article

Covers Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2005, 2008, and 2010We’re pleased to announce the availability of Coding Faster: Getting More Productive with Microsoft Visual Studio by Zain Naboulsi and Sara Ford.

Expert advice to help you work smarter and increase your productivity with Visual Studio.

Take a detailed look into Visual Studio—and learn practical techniques to help you work more efficiently. This fully revised and expanded version of Visual Studio Tips: 251 Ways to Improve Your Productivity includes a comprehensive collection of tips and shortcuts for working with the code editor, visual designers, searches, debugger, and other features in Visual Studio 2005, 2008, and 2010. You'll gain valuable insights for using this IDE—no matter what your experience level.

Discover how to:

  • Change development settings and keyboard mappings to optimize your efficiency
  • Save time initiating a new project by creating custom templates
  • Uncover secrets for working with the toolbox, commands, and window layouts
  • Work with files in more practical ways, such as using the File Tab Channel
  • Use the Editor more effectively with tips on selecting and manipulating code
  • Apply techniques to help reduce the time you spend debugging code
  • Create Visual Studio extensions to increase your development productivity

Table of Contents

Productivity Techniques
  1. Chapter 1 Getting Started
    1. 01.01 Running Multiple Versions of Visual Studio Side-By-Side
    2. 01.02 Getting Table of Contents in Visual Studio 2010 Online Help
    3. 01.03 Exporting Your Environment Settings
    4. 01.04 Remove Projects from the Recent Projects List
    5. 01.05 AutoRecover
    6. 01.06 Improving Performance by Changing the Visual Experience in Visual Studio 2010
    7. 01.07 Change Tool Window Animations
    8. 01.08 Importing or Changing Your Environment Settings
    9. 01.09 Change Your Visual Studio Color Scheme
    10. 01.10 Reset All Your Development Settings
    11. 01.11 Customize Your Toolbars in Visual Studio 2010: Toolbars Tab
    12. 01.12 Customize Your Toolbars in Visual Studio 2010: Commands Tab
    13. 01.13 Visual Studio Logging
    14. 01.14 Visual Studio Safe Mode
    15. 01.15 The ResetSettings Switch
  2. Chapter 2 Projects and Items
    1. 02.01 Search for Project Templates in the New Project Dialog Box
    2. 02.02 Recent Project Templates in the New Project Dialog Box
    3. 02.03 Using Older Frameworks with Multi-Targeting
    4. 02.04 Create Web Application or Virtual Directory in IIS
    5. 02.05 Multiple Startup Projects
    6. 02.06 Change the Default New Project Location
    7. 02.07 Track Active Item in Solution Explorer
    8. 02.08 Type-Ahead Selection Support in Solution Explorer
    9. 02.09 Using Solution Folders
    10. 02.10 Navigating Property Tabs in the Project Properties
    11. 02.11 Pin a Project to the Recent Projects List
    12. 02.12 Creating Temporary Projects
    13. 02.13 Create Your Own Item Template
    14. 02.14 Roll Your Own Project Template with the Export Template Wizard
    15. 02.15 Organizing Your Custom Item Templates
    16. 02.16 Organizing Your Custom Project Templates
    17. 02.17 Reorganize the Default Item Templates
    18. 02.18 Reorganize the Default Project Templates
    19. 02.19 Change the Templates that Appear in the New Project or Item Dialog Boxes
  3. Chapter 3 Getting to Know the Environment
    1. 03.01 Rearrange Windows in Visual Studio 2010 Using the Guide Diamond
    2. 03.02 Dock a Floating Tool Window Back to Its Previous Location
    3. 03.03 Cycle Through Your Open Tool Windows
    4. 03.04 Closing Tool Windows
    5. 03.05 Expand and Collapse All in the Toolbox
    6. 03.06 Searching in the Toolbox
    7. 03.07 Navigate Among Tabs in the Toolbox
    8. 03.08 Window Layouts: The Four Modes
    9. 03.09 Window Layouts: Design, Debug, and Full Screen
    10. 03.10 Working with Tabs in the Toolbox
    11. 03.11 Using Additional Browsers for Web Development
    12. 03.12 Auto-Hide All Tool Windows
    13. 03.13 Showing Hidden Tool Windows with the Auto Hide Channel
    14. 03.14 Moving Tool Windows Around with Your Keyboard
    15. 03.15 Keyboard Access to a Tool Window’s Toolbar
    16. 03.16 Command Prompt History
    17. 03.17 Command Prompt Tab Completion
    18. 03.18 Undock and Dock a Single Tool Window in a Group
    19. 03.19 Understanding Commands: Simple Commands
    20. 03.20 Understanding Commands: Aliases
    21. 03.21 Understanding Commands: Arguments and Switches
    22. 03.22 Testing a Command
    23. 03.23 Understanding Commands: Running Commands
    24. 03.24 Find Keyboard Shortcuts
    25. 03.25 Keyboard Shortcuts: Additional Mapping Schemes
    26. 03.26 Keyboard Shortcuts: Creating New Shortcuts
    27. 03.27 Keyboard Shortcuts: Reset All Your Shortcuts
    28. 03.28 Understanding Commands: Logging Commands
    29. 03.29 Export Your Window Layouts
    30. 03.30 Stop the Toolbox from Auto-Populating from the Solution
    31. 03.31 Using External Tools
    32. 03.32 Create Keyboard Accelerators for External Tools
    33. 03.33 Exporting Your Command Window Aliases and External Tools List
    34. 03.34 Creating and Using a Macro
    35. 03.35 Visual Studio Image Library
  4. Chapter 4 Working with Documents
    1. 04.01 Insert Documents to the Right of Existing Tabs
    2. 04.02 Recent Files
    3. 04.03 Working with Documents on Multiple Monitors
    4. 04.04 Navigate Open Document Windows
    5. 04.05 Close the Current Document Window
    6. 04.06 Open a File Location from the File Tab
    7. 04.07 Open the File Menu Drop-Down List from Your Keyboard
    8. 04.08 Using the IDE Navigator
    9. 04.09 Multiple Views of the Same Document
    10. 04.10 Closing Just the Selected Files You Want
    11. 04.11 Understanding the File Open Location
    12. 04.12 Show Previous Versions
    13. 04.13 Using Custom File Extension Associations
  5. Chapter 5 Finding Things
    1. 05.01 Repeat Your Last Search
    2. 05.02 Using Quick Find
    3. 05.03 Using a Simple Quick Replace
    4. 05.04 Hide the Quick Find and Quick Replace Tool Window After the First Match
    5. 05.05 Undo Quick Replace and Replace in Files
    6. 05.06 Using the Find Combo Box Keyboard Shortcuts
    7. 05.07 Using Incremental Search
    8. 05.08 Search the Currently Selected String Without the Find Window
    9. 05.09 Find In Files: Find Options
    10. 05.10 Find In Files: Result Options
    11. 05.11 Replace In Files: Basic Options
    12. 05.12 Go To Definition for Cascading Style Sheets
    13. 05.13 How to Use Navigate To
    14. 05.14 Understanding Find Symbol
    15. 05.15 Find Symbol Results Shortcuts
    16. 05.16 Replace in Files: Tagged Expressions
    17. 05.17 Customize Results in Find In Files Searches
  6. Chapter 6 Writing Code
    1. 06.01 Zoom In or Out of Text in the Editor Using the Mouse Wheel
    2. 06.02 Zoom In or Out of Text in the Editor
    3. 06.03 How to Keep from Accidentally Copying a Blank Line
    4. 06.04 Make IntelliSense Transparent
    5. 06.05 Cut or Delete the Current Line
    6. 06.06 Using the New IntelliSense: Keywords
    7. 06.07 Using the New IntelliSense: Pascal Case
    8. 06.08 Comment and Uncomment in Web Pages
    9. 06.09 Insert a Blank Line Above or Below the Current Line
    10. 06.10 Transpose Lines, Words, and Characters
    11. 06.11 How to Cycle Through the Clipboard Ring
    12. 06.12 Using the Undo and Redo Stack
    13. 06.13 Undo and Redo Global Actions
    14. 06.14 How to Use Reference Highlighting
    15. 06.15 Moving or Selecting Between Matching Braces (C++, C# Only)
    16. 06.16 Invoke Statement Completion
    17. 06.17 Move Between the Common Tab and All Tab in Statement Completion (VB)
    18. 06.18 Using Parameter Information
    19. 06.19 Using Quick Info
    20. 06.20 Word Completion
    21. 06.21 Drag and Drop Code into the Toolbox
    22. 06.22 Using Smart Tags from the Keyboard
    23. 06.23 Organize Using Statements (C# Only)
    24. 06.24 Switch Between Design and Source in Web Projects
    25. 06.25 Toggle Designer
    26. 06.26 Change the Default View in the HTML Editor
    27. 06.27 Jump Back to the Editor from Just About Anywhere
    28. 06.28 Replacing Text with a Box Selection
    29. 06.29 Pasting the Contents of One Box Selection into Another
    30. 06.30 Pasting a Single Selection into a Box Selection
    31. 06.31 Using Zero-Length Box Selection
    32. 06.32 View White Space
    33. 06.33 Collapsing Your Code with Outlining
    34. 06.34 Using Hide Selection
    35. 06.35 Collapse to Definitions with Outlining
    36. 06.36 Cut, Copy, and Paste Collapsed Code with Outlining
    37. 06.37 Understanding Word Wrap
    38. 06.38 Properties Window Keyboard Shortcuts
    39. 06.39 Document Outline: Web Projects
    40. 06.40 Inserting Code Snippets
    41. 06.41 Surround with a Code Snippet
    42. 06.42 Using Code Snippets
    43. 06.43 HTML Code Snippets
    44. 06.44 JavaScript Code Snippets
    45. 06.45 Using the Code Snippets Manager
    46. 06.46 Insert Quotes When Typing Attribute Values
    47. 06.47 Format the Current Document or Selection (Web)
    48. 06.48 Using the Navigation Bar
    49. 06.49 HTML Editor Tag Navigation
    50. 06.50 Format HTML on Paste
    51. 06.51 Display HTML/CSS Warnings as Errors
    52. 06.52 Updating JScript IntelliSense
    53. 06.53 Using JScript Libraries in Other JScript Files
    54. 06.54 Create New Code Snippets from Existing Ones
    55. 06.55 Understanding the Navigation Stack
    56. 06.56 Navigate Backward and Navigate Forward Using Go Back Markers
    57. 06.57 Select from the Current Cursor Location to the Last Go Back Marker
    58. 06.58 Track Changes in the Editor
    59. 06.59 Edit Read-Only Files
    60. 06.60 Choosing CSS Versions
    61. 06.61 Understanding Tag Specific Options
  7. Chapter 7 Debugging
    1. 07.01 Setting a Breakpoint with Code
    2. 07.02 Using Ctrl+Alt+B to Open the Breakpoints Window
    3. 07.03 Adding Labels to Breakpoints
    4. 07.04 Enable or Disable All Breakpoints
    5. 07.05 TODO Comments in the Task List
    6. 07.06 Create Custom Tokens for the Task List
    7. 07.07 Create Code Shortcuts in the Task List
    8. 07.08 Code Definition Window
    9. 07.09 Save Changes Before Building
    10. 07.10 Navigate Errors in the Error List
    11. 07.11 Ordering and Multicolumn Sorting in Tool Windows
    12. 07.12 Pin a DataTip to Source Code
    13. 07.13 Create a Floating DataTip
    14. 07.14 Adding Comments to a DataTip
    15. 07.15 Use a DataTip to Edit a Value
    16. 07.16 DataTip Value from the Last Debug Session
    17. 07.17 Import and Export DataTips
    18. 07.18 Using the Call Hierarchy
    19. 07.19 Searching Breakpoints
    20. 07.20 Breakpoint Hit Count
    21. 07.21 Set a Breakpoint on a Function
    22. 07.22 Set a Simple Breakpoint Condition
    23. 07.23 Set a Complex Breakpoint Condition
    24. 07.24 Setting a Breakpoint Filter
    25. 07.25 Setting a Tracepoint in Source Code
    26. 07.26 Import and Export Breakpoints
    27. 07.27 Run to Cursor
    28. 07.28 Using the Exception Assistant
    29. 07.29 Use a Specific Port for the Development Server (Web Applications)
    30. 07.30 Application and Page Level Tracing
    31. 07.31 The Watch Window: Watching and Changing Values
    32. 07.32 Understanding QuickWatch
    33. 07.33 The Watch Window: Visualizers
    34. 07.34 The Watch Window: Refreshing Data
    35. 07.35 The Watch Window: Adding Watches from Variable Windows
    36. 07.36 Create Folders in Class View
    37. 07.37 Search in Class View
    38. 07.38 Synchronize Your Class View
    39. 07.39 The Misnamed and Misunderstood Object Browser
    40. 07.40 The Object Browser: Setting the Browsing Scope
    41. 07.41 The Object Browser: Navigation and References
    42. 07.42 The Exceptions Dialog Box
    43. 07.43 Setting a Breakpoint in the Call Stack Window
    44. 07.44 Setting a Tracepoint in the Call Stack Window
    45. 07.45 Using the WPF Tree Visualizer
    46. 07.46 Understanding Break All Processes When One Process Breaks
    47. 07.47 Changing Context in the Locals Window
    48. 07.48 Understanding the Autos Window
Extensions for Visual Studio
  1. Chapter 8 Visual Studio Extensions
    1. Introducing Visual Studio Extensions
    2. 08.01 Create Themes Using All Visual Studio Elements
    3. 08.02 Insert Images into Your Code
    4. 08.03 Add Visual Guidelines to Your Code
    5. 08.04 Get More IntelliSense in Your XAML Editor
    6. 08.05 Sync the Solution Explorer to the Current File
    7. 08.06 Add PowerCommands Options to the IDE
    8. 08.07 Use Emacs Commands in the Editor
    9. 08.08 Submit to “The Daily WTF”
    10. 08.09 Diff Files Using the Editor
    11. 08.10 Run Windows PowerShell Within the IDE
    12. 08.11 Visualize OData in a Graphical View
    13. 08.12 Run VIM Commands in the Editor
    14. 08.13 Check Spelling in Your Code
    15. 08.14 Zoom Across All Files
    16. 08.15 View Code Blocks Using Vertical Lines
    17. 08.16 Get a Bird’s-Eye View of Your Code in an Editor Margin
    18. 08.17 Build Projects from the Windows 7 Taskbar
    19. 08.18 Triple-Click to Select an Entire Line
    20. 08.19 Create Regular Expressions Within Your Code
    21. 08.20 Get More Productivity Tools in the IDE
    22. 08.21 Create and Find Code Snippets
    23. 08.22 Document Your Code with Three Keystrokes
    24. 08.23 Customize Visual Studio Using Windows PowerShell