Custom Window Layouts

Visual Studio 2015 provides support for saving your custom window layouts. This allows you to tweak your IDE for different functions such as C# coding versus XAML layout activities. You can then save your window layout with a name and apply it when the time is right.

As an example, suppose you configure the IDE to look similar to that shown in Figure 2.34. This layout is optimized for focusing on code and code files. The Toolbox and properties windows are unpinned.

FIGURE 2.34 You can create a custom window layout and save it.

You can save this layout from the Window menu. You select Save Window Layout. You are then presented with a simple dialog to give the window layout a name.

When your IDE activity changes (or you end up making changes to the IDE), you can easily apply your saved window layout. To do so, you select the Window menus and choose Apply Window Layout. Figure 2.35 shows an example. Notice the window layout behind the menu has changed. Clicking Apply Window Layout resets to the saved layout. Also, notice that your window layouts are automatically given keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+Alt+1). This makes switching between layouts even easier.

FIGURE 2.35 You can apply a custom window layout to your IDE.

Finally, Visual Studio also allows you to manage your saved windows. You do so from the Windows menu, Manage Window Layouts. Figure 2.36 shows an example. Here you can rename a layout, delete it, or move it up and down in the sequence (and thus change the keyboard shortcut associated with the layout).

FIGURE 2.36 Manage custom window layouts.