If you are a developer and do lots of programming then most of the time code
lines get repeated. So you have to write them again and again or if you do copy
paste then every time you have to change the name and ID's or whatever is to be
changed for readability. Visual Studio facilitates creating your own custom code snippets. There are already such snippets preinstalled with Visual Studio.
Snippet Symbol that appears in Intellisense window.
For e.g. in C# we have a snippet like below:
ctor - for default class constructor
for - for default for loop snippet
svm - for main function
prop - to create property
etc. So what you do is just type these words and double tap on the TAB key and code
gets generated there just like that. This is one feature that I love in our
VisualStudio.
I suggest you get a must have tool that you want to use and surely will love it. The
Snippet Designer for Visual Studio. you can also write your own code snippet.
Download the addin from here:
Snippet
designer for Visual Studio 2010/2008
Install the plugin, then restart Visual Studio. Now follow the below steps:
Go to Menu File-> New –> File.. option
You'll see a new template installed there for Snippet Designer
Select the CodeSnippet file template and click ok.
Now mention the name of SnippetName [it'll appear as the tooltip when you use
this snippet in your code and select you language for which you want to create
the snippet.
Now start typing you code or just copy paste it from your source. Now its time to
choose the Literals you may want to change at the time you use it. Wrap the
string with $ It'll automatically replace all the occurrences of that string in
your snippet. See the snapshot below:
Now you are almost done here. Now Go to the properties window and mention a shortcut
that'll let this snippet appear
Now save the file by pressing Ctrl + S and select a location to save this
snippet file.
Now Open a new project and start typing the shortcut key you mentioned.
You custom code snippet will appear now double Tap the TAB key
Now change the values of the literal you have want to as per your choice.
You are done. I hope next time you go for some demo or something you might
want to create some Snippets like this so that you don't have to type your code
again and again and by just pressing few keys and your code will appear just
like that. Impress your audience or your colleagues.
Be a Smart Programmer.