Visual Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE)[2]

ed using the View, Server Explorer menu)
allows you to view the various services available on a particular server.
These services include Crystal Services (for working with Crystal Reports),
Event Logs, Message Queues, Performance Counters, and SQL Servers.

For most of these services, you can drill down and see a list of existing
items梐nd you can even add new items. You can drag and drop a service from
the Server Explorer window, shown in Figure 3.10, onto a design surface so
that you can interact with the element programmatically in your
application. For example, you can drag a performance counter onto a Web
Form and use that component to interact with the counter. You could also
drag a database table onto a page, and it will automatically create the
necessary "plumbing" so that you can work with data from that table.

Figure 3.10. The Server Explorer window shows a list of servers, Windows
services, databases, event logs, and more, available on your server or any
server to which you can attach.


Properties Window
The Properties window provides a visual means of investigating and altering
the properties of any object within the Visual Studio .NET environment. You
can display the Properties window using the View, Properties Window menu
item. Once this window is visible, you can either view the list
alphabetically or categorized by attribute. Some properties within this
window can be selected from a list; others allow you to click a button that
brings up a dialog box. Still others require you to supply text by typing
into a text box. Figure 3.11 shows the Properties window.

Figure 3.11. The Properties window is where you will spend a lot of time.


Object Browser Window
Similar to the Class View window, the Object Browser window shows you a
list of classes and their respective members. The main difference between
these two tools is that the Object Browser allows you to browse all
referenced components, not just the components for the current project like
the Class View window does. A nice feature of the Object Browser is that it
also shows you the full declaration for the method or property. Bring up
the Object Browser by using the View, Other Windows, Object Browser menu
item. Figure 3.12 shows the Object Browser window in use.

Figure 3.12. The Object Browser shows you a complete list of all classes,
properties, and methods in your project.


Task List Window
The Task List window displays, among other items, any To Do items that you
have entered in your code. In addition, you'll see information about build
errors in this window. Bring up the Task List window using the View, Other
Windows, Task List menu item. You will then see a window in your design
environment similar to the one shown in Figure 3.13. To add a new task, you
can click where the window reads "Click here to add a new task," or you can
add comments in a specific format right in your project code. The default
comment that adds to the Task List looks like this:

'TODO: Write the RepeaterBind procedure here

Figure 3.13. Tasks can help you organize your thoughts on what needs to be
done to complete your project.


Use TODO: after the comment mark (the apostrophe), and the Task List will
display your comment. You can double-click a task in the Task List window
to take you directly to the associated comment in your code.

TIP

You can create your own Task List items using the Tools, Options menu item.
Within the Options dialog box, select Environment, Task List in the left
pane. In the right pane, add new items. By default, Visual Studio .NET uses
HACK, TODO, and UNDONE as Task List indicators. Add your own tag items to
this list and click the Add button to make them available as tags that link
comments in your code with the Task List.