Windows Switcher Add-In

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Introduction

This Add-In speeds-up switching between windows opened in Visual Studio, especially when you are working with many projects in the same workspace and you don't like to use the mouse.

How do you navigate between windows in Visual Studio?

There are many ways to switch between windows in Visual Studio:

1. You can click on proper file on Workspace FileView tree
2. You can use Wizard Bar C++ Class to open window containing given class
3. You can open dialog "Windows…" from menu Window and then choose opened window

First method is very easy and often used, but needs mouse.

More experienced programmers use second method, which is fast - especially when you assign key sequence to "C++ Class combo" in Wizard Bar. I always assign "CTRL+1" to WBClassComboActive, and "CTRL+2" to WBMembersComboActive. Unfortunately using this method it is possible only to switch between files in current project.

Third method is useful when you have many projects in the same workspace. You can open "Windows…" dialog and there go to window containing file from other projects, or even window with opened document, which isn't assigned to any project. Of course it is possible to assign key sequence to this dialog.

I work in Visual Studio using second and third methods. I use Wizard Bar to navigate between class from current project and dialog "Windows…" to navigate between windows outside current project. Unfortunately dialog "Windows…" is not perfect. (Probably developers in Microsoft doesn't use this dialog, and they don't improve it :-). So, I had to improve this dialog. That's why I wrote "Windows Switcher Add-In".

What has Windows Switcher got that the "Windows…" menu has not?

Windows Switcher for each window opened in Visual Studio shows:

• its content (class name, resource identifier, or simply file name if file content can't be recognized)
• project name to which window is assigned
• full path to file which is opened

All windows are ordered by:

1. Project name (first windows from current project, next windows from other projects, and at the end windows not assigned to any project)
2. Window content

User can simply filter list of windows by typing a word which is found in columns "Content", "Project", and "Full path".

Using Windows Switcher Add-In

Just simple install Add-In in your Visual Studio. During installation Windows Switcher will offer you to assign key sequences to a few useful commands, which normally are not assigned to key sequences in Visual Studio. Treat it only as suggestion, not obligation. I use these commands very often, and access by keyboard to them speed-up my work.

Later, when you will want to navigate to other window in workspace, simply press "CTRL+Q" (or key sequence to which you assigned "Windows Switcher" during installation), type a few letters of class name / resource id, select desired window (if more windows fulfilled typed filter), and press "ENTER".