Datasheet
Figure 1-39: The Create GUID dialog generates GUIDs.
❑ Import/Export Settings — This command displays a dialog that you can use to save, restore, or
reset your Visual Studio IDE settings.
❑ Customize — This command allows you to customize the Visual Studio IDE. See the “Customize”
section later in this chapter for details.
❑ Options — This command allows you to specify options for the Visual Studio IDE. See the
“Options” section later in this chapter for details.
Macros
The Macros submenu, shown in Figure 1-40, provides commands that help you create, edit, and execute
macros that automate repetitive Visual Studio programming chores. If you must perform a series of
actions many times, you can record a macro that performs them. Then you can call the macro repeatedly
to perform the actions rather than executing them manually.
After you have recorded a macro, you can edit the macro’s code and make changes. For example, if you
want to run the code a certain number of times, you can include it in a For loop. Often, a quick inspec-
tion of the code lets you figure out how to modify the code to perform actions similar to (but not exactly
the same as) the actions you originally recorded.
Most of the commands in the macros submenu are self-explanatory. Use the Record TemporaryMacro
command to record a macro for quick temporary use. When you select this command, a small window
pops up that contains buttons you can click to suspend, finish, or cancel recording. Visual Studio saves
the commands you execute in a macro named “TemporaryMacro.”
Select Run TemporaryMacro to run this macro. If you record a new TemporaryMacro, it overwrites the
existing one without warning you. Select the Save TemporaryMacro command to rename the macro so
you can record a new TemporaryMacro without destroying this one.
38
Chapter 1
571982 ch01_2.qxd 1/19/06 1:15 PM Page 38