Software Warlock

A Back button for code navigation

July 30th, 2007

If you’re using Visual Studio 2005, you’ve probably already fallen in love with its language-aware features, such as the rename feature (allowing you to rename a variable/method/etc and update all references to it) or find all references, that lists all places in the code that reference a variable/method/etc.

One of my favorite features is the “Go To Definition” option, which will take you to where a method/variable/enum/etc is defined.  It’s really useful when you’re exploring a codebase.  The problem is, oftentimes you’ll go to a definition, figure out what you need to, and then want to go back to where you were before.  What you need is a back button, much like in a web browser.  It took a little searching, but I finally found just such a feature.  Just press ctrl+- (control and the minus key).  This will navigate back in the code, just like a back button.  One thing to be aware of is that this only works when  you use the minus located to the right of the 0 (zero) key (in the main part of the keyboard).  Using the minus in the num pad won’t work.  Jumping around like this saves a bunch of time.

Entry Filed under: Visual Studio