Visual C# Express - Collapsing and Expanding Windows

Microsoft .NET Framework, ASP.NET, Visual C# (CSharp, C Sharp, C-Sharp) Developer Training, Visual Studio

In order to allow more space for the Form Designer or the Code Editor windows, several of the windows that you work with may be collapsed to the sides or bottom of the IDE. This allows easy access to the windows without making the central space that you work with tiny. This can be especially useful when running a monitor at the resolution of 1024x768.

The windows that can be collapsed are listed in the View menu. They collapse to one of the sides previously mentioned. By default they are:

Left Hand Side: Toolbox

Right Hand Side: Solution Explorer, Class View, Properties

Bottom: Error List, Find Results, Find Symbol Results, Output

Opening a window

When you first open C# Express, not all windows are available to the developer. In order to open them, choose the relevant window from the View menu. This will open the window for you to use. When you click on either the Form Designer or the Code Editor, the window collapses to its appropriate position.

When a window is in its collapsed state, it may be opened by hovering the mouse over it, or by clicking on it.

Pinning a window

In order to get the window to stay on top, you will need to pin the window, by clicking on the symbol next to the exit cross which looks like a pin. When you do this, the collapsed windows appear as tabs on the right or left areas.

Collapsing a window

If a window is opened by hovering the mouse over the collapsed window, then as soon as you move the mouse away, the window will collapse again. If the window was opened by clicking on the collapsed window, then when you click on either the Form Designer or the Code Editor, the window will collapse back to its appropriate position.

If a window is pinned, then unpinning it will collapse all of the windows on that side back to the collapsed state

Closing a window

In order to close the window, you first need to put it into its un-collapsed state and then close it using the cross like any other application window

Figure 10: Visual C# Express - Expanded and Pinned windows

Summary

• Collapsing windows allows more space for the Form Designer or the Code Editor.

• Open a window by choosing one from the View menu.

• A window may be opened by hovering the mouse over it, or by clicking on it when it is in its collapsed state.

• You pin a window by clicking on the pin symbol next to the exit cross.

• When you click on either the Form Designer or the Code Editor, the window will collapse back to its appropriate position.