I am wondering if it is possible to set VisualStudio IDE so it highlights private/protected/public variables of the class differently as well as change formatting on locals (i.e. variables that are either passed in or declared inside a function, like this).
I did not find any such options in the normal Fonts and Colors menu of VS. Also a search on SO reveals that (at least as of 2 years ago) only add-ons provide such features. But is there a way to manually edit some file? Just because we don't get a nice UI to edit, doesn't mean underlying framework automatically doesn't support it. I mean add-ons have to plug into something to do their magic in the editor. Any insights into this issue?
Thanks!
EDIT: I have found the following information on MSDN Syntax Highlighting (Managed Package Framework). But the explanation/examples given are woefully inadequate. Does anyone know of a more extensive docs/tutorials/etc. for MPF?
I could be wrong (probably am) but I think plugins that do what you want replace the default highlighter in Visual Studio, so I don't think there is a file you can edit. As far as I know, you need a plugin. ReSharper might do this...I'm not sure though (I don't use it)
Related
In Intellij Idea I can see documentation on intelliSense options:
Can I enable something like this in vs code for golang ?
Can I control the width and height of the two rectangles ?
Try installing the Go extension. Here's the source: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-go
It offers Intellisense/completion lists, though the completion lists feature is not working too well right now (I'm sure it will improve over time). The extension is able to get function signatures and documentation by mousing over their names once you've typed them in, even if they don't show up in Intellisense, however.
Be sure to read the extension documentation on how to get everything installed, as it makes use of a number of tools to offer all of its functionality.
Visual Studio 2010 contains error corrections for VB programmers, for example, it will allow you to import a namespace or generate a stub class/method where you get compiler errors.
For example, if you type:
Dim mm As MailMessage without an Imports System.Net.Mail, you'll get a handy little tooltip that just allows you to import the namespace with a single click.
I've recently switched to C# developing, and I really miss this little tool - if you're not sure of a namespace you have to go looking on Google to find out and then add the using manually.
Is there no way to enable the error corrections like you get when writing VB?
I've done the usual Googling, and there seems to be no mention of it for C#- just VB.
I use C# in VS2010 daily and it does all the things you mention. As an example, usually when you paste code into a class without the relevant using statements already being present VS will ask you if you want to add usings for the code you pasted. It is worth checking your settings to make sure you have things like this enabled such as 'Auto List Members' etc. There are other useful settings in there too. It is worth familiarising yourself with your options.
One thing I would recommend for C# development is Resharper 7. It is a great tool and speeds up coding an awful lot. It will also make suggestions to improve code, enforce standards etc. You can also configure it to enforce the coding standards your company uses. I believe you can get a trial version. I would get that to try it out and then if required make a purchase request to your company or buy it yourself. Its worth it.
Resharper 7
P.S. As a side note, in case you didn't know, you can press ctrl+spacebar to get your intellisense options to open up.
C# editor has that. Just click on the class name and you'll see a colored underscore. Click on it and you'll get suggestions on how to resolve class (or interface, or whatever).
Or put code editor cursor on the class name and press ALT + SHIFT + F10 and the same suggestions will popup for you.
I would like to manually extend the IntelliSense list by various items. I want to be responsible for the action triggered by the item (i.e. code completion and tooltip info). It doesn't matter what items.
Is this possible with an VisualStudio add-in, ReSharper / DXCore or any otherg plugin?
Background:
Some of you may know FOP (feature-oriented programming). FOP would require various changes to intellisense and editor behavior.
Edit:
Another interesting post.
This is definitely doable very easily by writing a ReSharper plugin.
Start by implementing ICodeCompletionItemsProvider which will provide additional IntelliSense items. The easiest way is to inherit from ItemsProviderOfSpecificContext<TContext> (with TContext being CSharpCodeCompletionContext if you're interested in C# code completion).
Your provider will add the additional items in the implementation of AddLookupItems(). You have the chance to provide a custom implementation of ILookupItem here: the Accept() method of this interface will be called when the user chooses the item in the completion popup. Here is your chance to execute the code you need.
Note that this information is for R# 6.1/7.0. I don't think it is much different in previous versions though. Obviously, you have to enable ReSharper IntelliSense instead of Visual Studio IntelliSense for this to work.
Customized intelliSense for VS2010 XML editor can be added by putting customized xsd files in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Xml\Schemas folder but I guess you are looking for something more.
You should take a look at Creating and Using IntelliSense Code Snippets and decide whether it is what you are looking for. This question on programmers.stockexchange might also be helpful. This question also seems similar which suggests CSharpIntellisensePresenter(Free).
Maybe ReSharper's Live Templates can help you (ReSharper->Live Templates...).
I heard that R#5.0 (still in beta) will support VS 2010. My question is
VS2010 == VS2008 + ReSharper ?
I know there are many improvements to VS2010, so I 'm not sure weather is it really worth purchasing the R#5.0 for VS2010?
Well, I haven't explored VS 2010 new refactoring features that much, but its my understanding that VS has some but definitely not all of resharpers features implemented (From MSDN):
Navigate To
You can use the Navigate
To feature to search for a symbol or
file in the source code.
Navigate To lets you find a specific
location in the solution or explore
elements in the solution. It helps you
pick a good set of matching results
from a query.
You can search for keywords that are
contained in a symbol by using Camel
casing and underscore characters to
divide the symbol into keywords.
For more information, see How to:
Search for Objects, Definitions, and
References (Symbols).
Generate From Usage
The Generate From
Usage feature lets you use classes and
members before you define them. You
can generate a stub for any undefined
class, constructor, method, property,
field, or enum that you want to use
but have not yet defined. You can
generate new types and members without
leaving your current location in code,
This minimizes interruption to your
workflow.
Generate From Usage supports
programming styles such as test-first
development.
IntelliSense Suggestion Mode
IntelliSense now provides two
alternatives for IntelliSense
statement completion, completion mode
and suggestion mode. Use suggestion
mode for situations where classes and
members are used before they are
defined.
In suggestion mode, when you type in
the editor and then commit the entry,
the text you typed is inserted into
the code. When you commit an entry in
completion mode, the editor shows the
entry that is highlighted on the
members list.
When an IntelliSense window is open,
you can press CTRL+ALT+SPACEBAR to
toggle between completion mode and
suggestion mode.
So I guess it would depend on which of Resharpers features you want to use. If you are satisfied with the above which is certainly great improvements, then you don't need Resharper.
On the performance question, well it might perform better because of tighter integration.
Personally the above leaves me still needing a lot of features like (just the ones i can think of right now - might be more):
There are as far as I can tell only about 6 refactorings, where resharper currently has more than 30
No import type completion, which i use ALL the time. One shortcut adds to references and adds import statement
No smart completion
Change namespace to follow navigation structure and update all references with one shortcut
Goto is more advanced in R# you can go to inheritors and bases,
file member, recent files and edits and theres the fast goto feature
Resharpers static analysis is far more comprehensive than what you get from VS
So what do you need? (I am definitely not giving up Resharper)
Peter,
Best person that can answer this question is yourself. What I suggest is you download it, learn it (and note I said learn it, not just play with it). Then decide. However, I'll warn you that it's quite addictive.
My question is VS2010 == VS2008 + ReSharper ?
Oh hell no. VS2010 has more features than VS2008, and some of those feature ideas were stolen from ReSharper, but vanilla VS2010 is still a long way behind VS2010 + ReSharper 5 or even VS2008 + ReSharper 5.
From a quick glance at my 31 Days of ReSharper blog posts (written back in the R# 2.5 days), here are just a few ReSharper features that are still not present in VS2010: (Please correct me if VS2010 does have any of these -- I haven't actually used it that much without ReSharper!)
Unused code highlighted in gray and with quick-fixes to delete the unused code for you (this is just one of many hints and warnings R# does that VS does not)
Visual indication of where you have hints, warnings, and errors in a source file (colored stripe next to the vertical scroll bar)
Integrated unit-test runner that's not locked down to only MS's test framework
Shared settings for code formatting, code templates, etc. -- check these settings into version control, and they'll be picked up automatically by other computers (no manual export/import)
Go To Type -- a pop-up window where you can enter a type name (or part of the name) and jump straight to the right source file
Navigate to derived types / overriding methods
Code Structure View -- view a list of members in your type, and drag/drop to reorder them in your source code
R# will suggest variable names for you
You can invoke an Intellisense dropdown that shows types from all namespaces (and then it adds the using for you)
It's eerily good at guessing what you meant when you tell it to fix an error for you
Remove unused braces and Invert If
Generate Code (I particularly like Generate Equals and GetHashCode, even though I use them very rarely)
Viral Rename (if you rename a type, it'll also suggest that you rename any variables that were named after the type)
And best of all, Safe Delete.
Safe Delete rocks.
And that's just the features that R# had in 2.5 when I wrote the 31 Days of ReSharper. They've added plenty of new features since (I just don't have a comprehensive list handy). A couple of my favorites are the background solution-wide analysis, which will tell you in nearly real-time if you have compiler errors anywhere in your solution, and Inspect > Value Origin, which is just wicked cool.
If your having to ask the question, my guess is that you're not using ReSharper to its full potential. Personally I find that R# writes most of my code for me and I feel like a noob using visual studio without it.
YES. unequivocably YES.
After migrating to Visual Studio 2010 we asked our development team if buying Resharper upgrades is worth the investment. The votes were unanimous: yes!
Btw: we use VS2010 Premium and the devteam has its own budget.
Why don't you try out the R# 5 betas and then you can decide if you're using enough of its features to justify purchasing it.
http://confluence.jetbrains.net/display/ReSharper/ReSharper+5.0+Nightly+Builds
ReSharper has been around long enough that developers might purchase the upgrade just out of habit! :)
I recall that when VS2008 was released, R# wasn't quite ready, and there was griping among the .NET community about it. "Must...have...ReSharper!". Heh. Jetbrains appear to be on top of it this time though.
I have been programming almost exclusively in Vim since 1/1/2001, and I feel that Vim fulfulls all my needs as an editor/IDE, but I can't help but wonder if perhaps there have been some new killer features developed for other IDEs in the last decade that would allow me to be more productive than I can be using Vim. So I ask: What are the most important IDE features missing in Vim??
Integrated debugging with all the fanciness that Visual Studio/Eclipse provide (thread debugging, etc etc)
Autocomplete with inline documentation support for methods/properties
Build and run from 'within' the editor application
I miss the excellent refactoring support and code tips from tools such as Resharper. Regexs are powerful for code modification, but understanding the code as Resharper does is just a tad better IMO.
Fortunately I can get both Resharper and Vim in Visual Studio so I am happy.
The real question is: what do VIM have that IDEs are missing.
I find that refactoring would be a real nice thing to have. Changing a java package name in vim with lots of source files can be pretty cumbersome.
Originally the refactoring was the killer feature that made us switch from Emacs. I have now used Eclipse extensively for Java for the last 6 years, and I expect any replacement to have:
Refactoring: Rename variables, functions, change method signatures (including all calls to it).
Debugging: "You are here" "Your current variables are" plus stuff like "go to the defined class for this object" or "go to the actual type for this object". I belive the latter requires quite a bit of integration between debugger and editor.
Code replacement while debugging. Change code, press Ctrl-S and the code in your debugging session is updated with what you just changed. A killer feature for big programs.
Navigation: Simple navigation of class hierarchy (please show me all implementations of this method in this interface and similar).
Javadoc integration - Eclipse can show javadoc just by hovering the mouse over an identifier.
Plus some more :)
Edit: I occasionally miss the Emacs functionality inside Eclipse, but the Eclipse editor has become stronger so it is not so bad anymore. In this regard the Save Action allowing a Format at every save was a killer. This ensures that changes show up properly in the source repository.
Search in files: In most editors, there is a separate window doing the search in files, and simultaneously editing can continue on the main window. The search results are updated as and when they are found. Also the current results can be viewed by clicking on it, even when the searching is ongoing, without waiting for the entire search to be completed.(whereas in cim one has to wait till vimgrep/ctags has finished to view the results)
This is particularly useful for search in large number of files.
So basically something like a search in background and simultaneously show results which can be clicked on to view them simultaneously.
(something like Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 does)
The things I missed were code completion and debugging. That's why I started using eclim http://eclim.sourceforge.net/index.html so I could use vim for what it does best and eclipse when I actually need it. Try it out - it's a fantastic combination.
It's like the old question "What's worn under a kilt?"
Answer: "Nothing. Everything's in perfect working order!".
But seriously, I'd like to see a more intuitive (easy to use) help system added to Vim.
There is nothing missing in Vim that an IDE has. The only thing we could argue about is; Vim needs to be customized and IDE comes out of the box.
Let me comment the other answeres and how to solve such "needs".
build
As mentioned, use :make and learn how to customize it.
refactoring
Use the very well known ropevim (for Python), it makes a great reafactoring tool. You won't need more than that. There are many others, search for your language.
Autocompletion
I use this snippet together with mapping to TAB (I think supertab plugin does that)
" python stuff
python << EOF
import os
import sys
import vim
for p in sys.path:
if os.path.isdir(p):
vim.command(r"set path+=%s" % (p.replace(" ", r"\ ")))
EOF
" tags for python libs
set tags+=~/.vim/tags/python.ctags
autocmd FileType python,mako set omnifunc=pythoncomplete#Complete
autocmd FileType html,mako set omnifunc=htmlcomplete#Complete
autocmd FileType html,mako set omnifunc=htmlcomplete#CompleteTags
autocmd FileType mako set filetype=mako.html.js
Help system
in Vim is perfect, you just have to learn it's system. It has it's own conventions how are things organized.
Debugging
I don't know for other languages than Python, but running pdb and !python % does it's job.