Datasheet

The following list describes the Options dialog’s most important categories.

❑ Environment — Contains general IDE settings such as whether the IDE uses an Multiple

Document Interface (MDI) or Single Document Interface (SDI) interface, the number of items

listed in the MRU lists, and how often the IDE saves AutoRecover information. The Fonts and

Colors subsection lets you determine the colors used by the editors for different types of text.

For example, comments are shown in green by default, but you can change this color.

❑ Projects and Solutions — Contains the default settings for Option Explicit, Option Strict, and

Option Compare.

❑ Source Control — Contains entries that deal with the source code control system (for example,

Source Safe).

❑ Text Editor — Contains entries that specify the text editors’ features. For example, you can use

these pages to determine whether delimiters are highlighted, the editor provides drag-and-drop

editing, scroll bars are visible, long lines are automatically wrapped, line numbers are displayed,

and the editor provides smart indentation. The Basic\VB Specific subsection lets you specify

options such as whether the editor uses outlining, whether it displays procedure separators, and

suggested corrections for errors.

❑ Database Tools — Contains database parameters such as default lengths for fields of various types.

❑ Debugging — Contains debugging settings such as whether the debugger displays messages

as modules are loaded and unloaded, whether it should make you confirm when deleting all

breakpoints, and whether it should allow Edit-and-Continue.

❑ Device Tools — Contains options for development on devices such as Smartphones, Pocket PCs,

or Windows CE.

❑ HTML Designer — Contains options for configuring HTML Designer. These options determine

such settings as whether the designer starts in source or design view, and whether it displays

Smart Tags for controls in design view.

❑ Windows Form Designer — Contains settings that control the Form Designer. For example, this

section lets you determine whether the designer uses a snap-to grid or snap lines.

Window

The Window menu contains commands that control Visual Studio’s windows. Which commands are

enabled depends on the type of window that has the focus. Figure 1-48 shows this menu when the

Toolbox has the focus.

IDE

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