Software

General Language Options

This dialog box allows you to change the default behavior of the Code Editor. These settings apply to also other editors based upon the Code Editor, such as the HTML Designer's Source view. To open this dialog box, select Options from the Tools menu. Within the Text Editor folder, expand the All Languages subfolder and then choose General.

CAUTION:

This page sets default options for all development languages. Remember that resetting an option in this dialog will reset the General options in all languages to whatever choices are selected here. To change Text Editor options for just one language, expand the subfolder for that language, and choose its option pages.

A gray checkmark is displayed when an option has been selected on the General options pages for some programming languages but not for others.

Note: Depending on the active settings or edition, the dialog boxes and menu commands might differ from those described in Help. Choose Import and Export Settings on the Tools menu to change your settings.

Statement Completion

Auto List Members

When selected, pop-up lists of available members, properties, values, or methods are displayed by IntelliSense as you type in the editor. Choose any item from the pop-up list to insert the item into your code. Selecting this option enables the Hide advanced members option.

Hide Advanced Members

When selected, shortens pop-up statement completion lists by displaying only those items most commonly used. Other items are filtered from the list.

Parameter Information

When selected, the complete syntax for the current declaration or procedure is displayed under the insertion point in the editor, with all of its available parameters. The following parameter you can assign is displayed in bold.

Settings

Enable Virtual Space

When this option is selected and Word wrap is cleared, you can click anywhere beyond the end of a line in the Code Editor and type. Use this feature to position comments at a consistent point next to your code.

Word Wrap

When selected, any portion of a line that extends horizontally beyond the viewable editor area is displayed automatically on the following line. Selecting this option enables the Show visual glyphs for word wrap option.

Note: The Virtual Space feature is turned off while Word Wrap is on.

Show Visual Glyphs for Word Wrap

When selected, a return-arrow indicator is displayed where a long line wraps onto a second line.

Clear this option if you prefer not to display these indicators.

Note: These reminder arrows are not added to your code and do not print. They are for reference only.

Apply Cut or Copy Commands to Blank Lines When There is No Selection

This option sets the editor behavior when you place the insertion point on a blank line, select nothing, and then Copy or Cut.

When this option is selected, the blank line is copied or cut. If you then Paste, a new and blank line is inserted.

When this option is cleared, the Cut command removes blank lines. However, the data on the Clipboard is preserved. The most recently copied content onto the Clipboard is pasted if you use the Paste command. If nothing has been copied previously, nothing is pasted.

This setting does not affect Copy or Cut when a line is not blank. If nothing is selected, the entire line is copied or cut. The text of the entire line and its end line character are both pasted if you then Paste.

Tip:

Select Advanced from the Edit menu and choose View White Space to display indicators for spaces, tabs, and line ends and thus distinguish indented lines from lines that are entirely blank.

Display

Line Numbers

When selected, a line number appears next to each line of code.

Note: These line numbers are not added to your code, and do not print. They are for reference only.

Enable Single-Click URL Navigation

When selected, the mouse cursor changes to a pointing hand as it passes over a URL in the editor. You can click the URL to display the indicated page in your Web browser.

Navigation Bar

When selected, displays the Navigation bar at the top of the code editor. Its drop-down Objects and Members lists allow you to choose a particular object in your code, select from its members, and navigate to the declaration of the selected member in the Code Editor.