Awesome Visual Studio Macros [closed]

Answer 1

I couldn't let this question go without mentioning this one. It even has a video to show how to install and use it. This macro simply allows you to create the nested files in the solution explorer (like resources.resx).

Edit: Updated the link

Answer 2

Not a macro on its own, but useful:

Public Sub WriteToOutputWindow(ByVal pane as String, ByVal Msg As String)
    Dim owPane As OutputWindowPane

    Dim win As Window = DTE.Windows.Item(EnvDTE.Constants.vsWindowKindOutput)
    Dim ow As OutputWindow = win.Object
    Try
        owPane = ow.OutputWindowPanes.Item(pane)
    Catch
        owPane = ow.OutputWindowPanes.Add(pane)
    End Try
    If Not owPane Is Nothing Then
        owPane.Activate()
        owPane.OutputString(Msg & vbCrLf)
    End If
End Sub

Answer 3

I use Jeff's FormatToHtml macros if I'm going to be pasting a code example into a blog post or an email.

Answer 4

I use the following lesser-known shortcuts very often:

• Ctrl+Enter: Insert a blank line above the current line (and place the cursor there)
• Ctrl+Shift+Enter: Insert a blank line below the current line (and place the cursor there)
• Ctrl+Shift+V: Cycles the clipboard ring

Answer 5

Outlining: Collapse to definitions but expand regions

Are you working in one of those shops that insists on regions around everything, so that when you collapse to definitions, you can't see any code?

What you really need is a collapse-to-definitions-but-expand-regions macro, like this one:

Sub CollapseToDefinitionsButExpandAllRegions()
    DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.CollapsetoDefinitions")
    DTE.SuppressUI = True
    Dim objSelection As TextSelection = DTE.ActiveDocument.Selection
    objSelection.StartOfDocument()
    Do While objSelection.FindText("#region", 
        vsFindOptions.vsFindOptionsMatchInHiddenText)
    Loop
    objSelection.StartOfDocument()
    DTE.SuppressUI = False
End Sub

Put this in a regular macro module, assign it to a hot key, and your code is back.

(Except...if you work with some really nefarious individuals who put regions inside methods, this will unfortunately expand those methods. If anybody knows a way to write this to avoid that, feel free to edit.)

Answer 6

I'm currently working on two different projects with different coding standards, one that uses tabs for line beginnings and another that uses spaces. This macro will toggle between which standard is used based on which environment is currently active:

Public Sub ToggleTabs()
  If DTE.ActiveDocument.Language = "CSharp" Then
      Dim currentSetting As Boolean = DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "CSharp").Item("InsertTabs").Value
      DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "CSharp").Item("InsertTabs").Value = Not currentSetting
  End If

  If DTE.ActiveDocument.Language = "SQL" Then
      Dim currentSQLSetting As Boolean = DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "SQL").Item("InsertTabs").Value
      DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "SQL").Item("InsertTabs").Value = Not currentSQLSetting
  End If

  If DTE.ActiveDocument.Language = "HTML" Then
      Dim currentHTMLSetting As Boolean = DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "HTML").Item("InsertTabs").Value
      DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "HTML").Item("InsertTabs").Value = Not currentHTMLSetting
  End If

  If DTE.ActiveDocument.Language = "JScript" Then
      Dim currentJScriptSetting As Boolean = DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "JScript").Item("InsertTabs").Value
      DTE.Properties("TextEditor", "JScript").Item("InsertTabs").Value = Not currentJScriptSetting
  End If

End Sub