Remove unused namespaces across a whole project or solution at once

Question

I know you can do it file by file.

Is there any way to do this in one step for all files in a project?

Answer 1

There is no need for any plugins in VS 2017 or 2019. Click the bulb icon near any using statement and click Solution next to Fix all occurrences in part.

Answer 2

for a more recent version, including 2017, try the "Format All Files" extension. it has been working really well for me.

Answer 3

Productivity Power tools is what you need. https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/dbcb8670-889e-4a54-a226-a48a15e4cace

Once you have that installed, you can find the “Remove and Sort Usings on Save” from the “Tools –> Options –> Productivity Power Tools –> PowerCommands –> Generals”. After you check that option, restart VS. Now save and you see the magic.

For VS 2015, take a look at this

Answer 4

I am using Visual Studio 2015 and found a tool named BatchFormat: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vs-publisher-147549.BatchFormat

This did the job perfectly.

Install the tool, then right click on your solution in the solution explorer, then at the top of the menu you see batch format:

Whatever you select is applied to every file in your solution, as you can see in the screenshot, there are other options, you can also format every document.

Answer 5

Do you mean using statements? First, note that they generally do no harm other that take space. Tools like ReSharper offer automated tricks to do this, however: there was a link in the VS feed a little while ago; it boils down to:

• go to Tools -> Macros -> Macros IDE...
• in the Project Explorer, Add -> Add Module... (put in a name - I've used OrganiseUsings)
• paste over with the code below
• File -> Save MyMacros, exit

Now if you right-click on the toolbar and Customize... - you should be able to find MyMacros.OrganiseUsings.RemoveAndSortAll - drag this somewhere handy (maybe the Tools menu; you might also want to change the name after placing it).

You can now use this option to run the Remove and Sort command for an entire solution. A big time-saver.

==== code ====

Imports System
Imports EnvDTE
Imports EnvDTE80
Imports EnvDTE90
Imports System.Diagnostics

Public Module OrganiseUsings

    Public Sub RemoveAndSortAll()
        On Error Resume Next
        Dim sol As Solution = DTE.Solution

        For i As Integer = 1 To sol.Projects.Count    
            Dim proj As Project = sol.Projects.Item(i)    
            For j As Integer = 1 To proj.ProjectItems.Count    
                RemoveAndSortSome(proj.ProjectItems.Item(j))    
            Next    
        Next    
    End Sub    

    Private Sub RemoveAndSortSome(ByVal projectItem As ProjectItem)
        On Error Resume Next
        If projectItem.Kind = Constants.vsProjectItemKindPhysicalFile Then    
            If projectItem.Name.LastIndexOf(".cs") = projectItem.Name.Length - 3 Then
                Dim window As Window = projectItem.Open(Constants.vsViewKindCode)

                window.Activate()

                projectItem.Document.DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.RemoveAndSort")

                window.Close(vsSaveChanges.vsSaveChangesYes)
            End If    
        End If    

        For i As Integer = 1 To projectItem.ProjectItems.Count    
            RemoveAndSortSome(projectItem.ProjectItems.Item(i))    
        Next
    End Sub   

End Module

Answer 6

If you do mean 'using' Power Commands contains this functionality + a boat load more.

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/PowerCommands