CodeProject: CollapseAll Macro for Visual Studio .NET. Free source code and programming help

Visual Studio .NET has a cool feature that it will automatically synchronize the Solution Explorer with the open file. One problem though is that if you have a large number of projects, the number of branches can soon get out of control - you can't see the trees for all the branches, so to speak. This is a very simple macro that you can use to collapse all the project nodes in the Solution Explorer.

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Excellent work, but DPack plugin for vs.net already do it(although slower than your macro solution)

slimzhao

17:04 23 Aug '07

please reference:
http://www.usysware.com/DPack/Default.aspx

Right click the solution, there's a menu item "Collapse all projects".

in VS2005, there's also a short cut mapped to this: SHIFT + ALT + C

DPack do a boundle of wonderful thing to improve developers' productvity, worth a try.

But, DPack's solution in vs2003 looks very slow compared to your macro's way.

I think it's better to use the macro for real large .sln file.

Visual Studio 2005 Bug and Fix

Scott Kuhl

7:50 9 Apr '07

There is a bug in VS 2005 that keeps some nodes from collapsing. The fix and a code enhancement to collapse all sub-nodes can be found here: http://geekswithblogs.net/scottkuhl/archive/2007/04/09/111195.aspx
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Re: Visual Studio 2005 Bug and Fix

Peter Solberg

20:07 23 May '07

I have made some improvements to Scott's code. My code can collapse selected item and runs faster than Scott's code on a very large solution.


Imports System
Imports EnvDTE
Imports EnvDTE80
Imports System.Diagnostics

Public Module Collapse

    Sub CollapseItem()

        ' Get the the Solution Explorer tree
        Dim solutionExplorer As UIHierarchy
        solutionExplorer = DTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsext_wk_SProjectWindow).Object()

        ' Check if there is any open solution
        If (solutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
            Return
        End If

        ' Get the top node (the name of the solution)
        Dim rootNode As UIHierarchyItem = solutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Item(1)
        rootNode.DTE.SuppressUI = True

        'Find selected node
        Dim selectedNode As UIHierarchyItem = FindSelectedNode(rootNode, solutionExplorer)

        ' Collapse each node
        Collapse(selectedNode, solutionExplorer)

        ' Select the selceted node
        selectedNode.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)
        rootNode.DTE.SuppressUI = False

    End Sub

    Private Sub Collapse(ByVal item As UIHierarchyItem, ByRef solutionExplorer As UIHierarchy)

        For Each innerItem As UIHierarchyItem In item.UIHierarchyItems
            If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Count > 0 Then

                If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded Then
                    ' Re-cursive call
                    Collapse(innerItem, solutionExplorer)
                End If

                ' Collapse
                If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded Then
                    innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = False
                    If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = True Then
                        ' Bug in VS 2005
                        innerItem.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)
                        solutionExplorer.DoDefaultAction()
                    End If
                End If

            End If
        Next

    End Sub

    Private Function FindSelectedNode(ByVal item As UIHierarchyItem, ByRef solutionExplorer As UIHierarchy) As UIHierarchyItem

        If item.IsSelected Then
            Return item
        End If
        For Each innerItem As UIHierarchyItem In item.UIHierarchyItems
            If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Count > 0 Then

                If innerItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded Then
                    ' Re-cursive call
                    Dim result As UIHierarchyItem
                    result = FindSelectedNode(innerItem, solutionExplorer)
                    If Not result Is Nothing Then
                        Return result
                    End If
                End If

                If innerItem.IsSelected Then
                    Return innerItem
                End If

            End If
        Next
        Return Nothing

    End Function


End Module

Very useful, thanks!

benno_1

14:31 19 Nov '06

A simple but very useful utility, thanks!
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Configurable Depth

DrewBurlingame

12:35 14 Feb '06

I sometimes need to collapse more than just the top level. Here's some code to configure the depth.

Sub CollapseTop()
Collapse(3)
End Sub

Sub CollapseAll()
Collapse(-1)
End Sub

Sub Collapse(ByVal maxDepth As Integer)

' Get the the Solution Explorer tree
Dim UIHSolutionExplorer As UIHierarchy
UIHSolutionExplorer = DTE.Windows.Item( _
Constants.vsext_wk_SProjectWindow).Object()

' Check if there is any open solution
If (UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
' MsgBox("Nothing to collapse. You must have an open solution.")
Return
End If

' Get the top node (the name of the solution)
Dim UIHSolutionRootNode As UIHierarchyItem
UIHSolutionRootNode = UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Item(1)

' Collapse each project node
Dim UIHItem As UIHierarchyItem
For Each UIHItem In UIHSolutionRootNode.UIHierarchyItems
CollapseLevel(UIHItem, maxDepth)
Next

' Select the solution node, or else when you click
' on the solution window
' scrollbar, it will synchronize the open document
' with the tree and pop
' out the corresponding node which is probably not what you want.
UIHSolutionRootNode.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)

End Sub

Sub CollapseLevel(ByVal node As UIHierarchyItem, ByVal maxDepth As Integer, Optional ByVal currentLevel As Integer = 0)
'would like to be able to determine if this was a folder. But didn't see the option on the object.
If (maxDepth = -1 Or currentLevel < maxDepth) Then
currentLevel = currentLevel + 1
node.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = False
Dim UIHItem As UIHierarchyItem
For Each UIHItem In node.UIHierarchyItems
CollapseLevel(UIHItem, maxDepth, currentLevel)
Next
End If
End Sub

-- modified at 17:36 Tuesday 14th February, 2006

little enhancment (you can publish it if you want)

Bnaya Eshet

5:53 12 Jan '06

Sub CollapseAll()

' Get the the Solution Explorer tree
Dim UIHSolutionExplorer As UIHierarchy
UIHSolutionExplorer = DTE.Windows.Item( _
Constants.vsext_wk_SProjectWindow).Object()

' Check if there is any open solution
If (UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
' MsgBox("Nothing to collapse. You must have an open solution.")
Return
End If

' Get the top node (the name of the solution)
Dim UIHSolutionRootNode As UIHierarchyItem
UIHSolutionRootNode = UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Item(1)

CollapseRec(UIHSolutionRootNode)

' Collapse each project node

' Select the solution node, or else when you click
' on the solution window
' scrollbar, it will synchronize the open document
' with the tree and pop
' out the corresponding node which is probably not what you want.
UIHSolutionRootNode.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)

End Sub

Sub CollapseRec(ByVal UIHParent As UIHierarchyItem)
Dim UIHItem As UIHierarchyItem

If UIHParent Is Nothing Then
Return
End If

' Check if there is any open solution
If (UIHParent.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
' MsgBox("Nothing to collapse. You must have an open solution.")
Return
End If

For Each UIHItem In UIHParent.UIHierarchyItems
CollapseRec(UIHItem)

UIHItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = False
Next
End Sub

Bnaya Eshet

Chief Architect at
Wise Mobility
www.wisemobility.com

2.00/5

Great. Works with VS 2003

MtF_

11:40 25 Jul '05

Great makro. Works in VS 2003 as well. M
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excellent, very useful :)

feline_dracoform

3:29 22 Jun '05

while i am not a total fan of having the solution explorer follow the open code, i find i need to keep it turned on since it causes more problems turning it off. as a result a rather large tree ends up open all over the place, making a complete mess. this is ideal zen is the art of being at one with the two'ness
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Collapse the subfolders too

Charles Windhausen

13:38 8 Dec '04

I modified the macro slightly so it will collapse all subfolders in the solution tree as well...

'------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub CollapseMe(oRootItem As UIHierarchyItem)

Dim oChildItem As UIHierarchyItem

For Each oChildItem In oRootItem.UIHierarchyItems
CollapseMe(oChildItem)
Next

oRootItem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = False

End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub CollapseAll()
'DESCRIPTION: Colapse all the nodes in the project tree

' Get the the Solution Explorer tree
Dim oSolutionExplorer As UIHierarchy
oSolutionExplorer = DTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsext_wk_SProjectWindow).Object()

' Check if there is any open solution
If (oSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
' MsgBox("Nothing to collapse. You must have an open solution.")
Return
End If

' Get the top node (the name of the solution)
Dim oRootItem As UIHierarchyItem
oRootItem = oSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Item(1)
Dim oChildItem As UIHierarchyItem

' Collapse each project node
For Each oChildItem In oRootItem.UIHierarchyItems
CollapseMe(oChildItem)
Next

' Select the solution node, or else when you click on the solution window
' scrollbar, it will synchronize the open document with the tree and pop
' out the corresponding node which is probably not what you want.
oRootItem.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)

End Sub

Charles

5.00/5

Can it work for ClassView?

Kevin McFarlane

7:29 4 Oct '04

Hi Edwin, Have you tried applying your macro to ClassView? For some reason doing this DTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsext_wk_ClassView).Object() always gives you Nothing. I've also tried: DTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsWindowKindClassView).Object() Same result. Referencing the ClassView window is OK though. It's only when you apply .Object that you get Nothing. Kevin Kevin
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Re: Can it work for ClassView?

Erlend

21:46 6 Feb '05

Apparently the classview does not implement anything at all to be able to access the tree Mad

,
but here is a trick that could help you out :

There are commands to switch the type of treeview within the classview :

1. View.ClassViewGroupByType
2. View.SortAlphabetically
3. View.SortByAccess
4. View.SortByType

If you call 1. and 4. using

dte.ExecuteCommand("View.ClassViewGroupByType", "");
dte.ExecuteCommand("View.ClassViewSortByType", "");

The tree is collapsed Smile

, sadly enough i did not find a way yet to test which one is
active Confused

so it could be that you end up with enother sort then you started off with

Brgds,

Erlend

Erlend Robaye

Fluxys N.V.
Belgium
Erland.Robaye@fluxys.net

About ToolButton

Anonymous

9:18 14 Nov '02

Great macro. How did you add the ToolButton which says "Collapse All" in the Solution Explorer's toolbar? Thanks. PKP
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Re: About ToolButton

Edwin Evans

19:28 14 Nov '02

Here is a explanation of how to add a button to the toolbar: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q318651#4. Start with step 6.

If you want to do this programmatically, here is what you could do: (I wrote an Add-In version of this same feature in C#)

Command command = commands.AddNamedCommand(addInInstance, "CollapseAll", "CollapseAll", "Collapses all the project nodes in the Solution Explorer", true, 
	41,  // blue arrow, see http://www.j-walk.com/ss/excel/tips/tip40.htm, thanks to John Walkenbach
	ref contextGUIDS, (int)vsCommandStatus.vsCommandStatusSupported+(int)vsCommandStatus.vsCommandStatusEnabled);

// This will add the button to the end of the standard toolbar 
// but the user always has the ability to customize this.
CommandBar commandBar = (CommandBar)commandBars["Standard"];
int nPositionEnd = commandBar.Controls.Count + 1; 
CommandBarControl commandBarControl = command.AddControl(commandBar, nPositionEnd);

-Edwin

Re: About ToolButton

Anonymous

5:40 15 Nov '02

Hi Edwin,

Thanks for the reply.

I knew how to add a CommandBarControl to a toolbar (via code or using Tools|Customize. However in your screenshot you had added a "CollapseAll" button to a toolbar which seems like part of "Solution Explorer". That toolbar does not seem to be customizable using Tools|Customize.

So how did you do it? I will be incorporating this in an add-in.

You did mention how can I add a toolbutton to the "Standard" toolbar. But how can I add it to a Solution Explorer toolbar? Is there a string name for that toolbar?

I will appreciate your help in this regard.
Thanks.

Paresh

1.00/5

Re: About ToolButton

Booga

5:13 28 Nov '02

If you look at the pictures again, you'll see that Edwin's button is not inside the Solution Explorer.
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Great Macro!

Stephen Jones

6:05 4 Oct '02

This is a great macro, but I wouldn't call the auto-sync feature in the Solution Explorer a "great feature" . Thanks, - Stephen Jones
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Re: Great Macro!

Edwin Evans

6:25 6 Oct '02

Yes, it can be very annoying actually! I find it useful in some ways but why couldn't they just put a button to sync, or have it turned off by default?

I bet a lot of people hate that feature. Here is a newsgroup thread I ran across recently that reveals some of them...

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&frame=right&th=53f144229cfc6b1d&seekm=3c642a00%241%40rpc1284.daytonoh.ncr.com#link1

Re: Great Macro!

Booga

3:41 23 Jan '03

It was great, but not quite what I was looking for. Here's my modifications, which allow the macro to collapse all subfolders of expanded folders as well. It does not deal with expanded subfolders in collapsed folders, as that takes much too long (it actually seemed to hang my VS).
Enjoy!

Sub CollapseNode(ByRef item As UIHierarchyItem)

Dim subitem As UIHierarchyItem
For Each subitem In item.UIHierarchyItems
If (subitem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = True) Then
CollapseNode(subitem)
subitem.UIHierarchyItems.Expanded = False
End If
Next

End Sub

Sub CollapseAll()

' Get the the Solution Explorer tree
Dim UIHSolutionExplorer As UIHierarchy
UIHSolutionExplorer = DTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsext_wk_SProjectWindow).Object()

' Check if there is any open solution
If (UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Count = 0) Then
' MsgBox("Nothing to collapse. You must have an open solution.")
Return
End If

' Get the top node (the name of the solution)
Dim UIHSolutionRootNode As UIHierarchyItem
UIHSolutionRootNode = UIHSolutionExplorer.UIHierarchyItems.Item(1)

CollapseNode(UIHSolutionRootNode)

' Select the solution node, or else when you click on the solution window
' scrollbar, it will synchronize the open document with the tree and pop
' out the corresponding node which is probably not what you want.
UIHSolutionRootNode.Select(vsUISelectionType.vsUISelectionTypeSelect)

End Sub

3.83/5

Re: Great Macro!

Edwin Evans

12:00 21 Jun '05

Hey, thanks Booga! That's just what I need with the new project I'm working on. -Edwin
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Re: Great Macro!

Randy87

10:43 23 Jul '07

Thanks, exactly what I needed.
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Last Visit: 21:30 20 Nov '09 Last Update: 21:30 20 Nov '09

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