With start-up templates for projects ranging from Windows applications to web services, and extensive help and on-line documentation, Visual Studio .NET might be mistaken for a tool for unsophisticated users. It's true that most developers soon discover that the basic operation of Visual Studio is fairly self-explanatory; less obvious are some of the suite's more advanced built-in features. Visual Studio .Net includes a wealth of little-used capabilities, is very customizable, has a complete automation model, and much more. On top of its regular feature set, there are hosts of free add-ins, macros, and power toys that can further enhance the functionality of Visual Studio. This book is all about exploring these things, and in doing so, becoming a better and more efficient developer. Developers will learn how to:

• Get the most out of projects and solutions, including getting down and dirty with the undocumented format of project and solution files

• Use these editor features to the fullest, and add additional functionality to the editor through the use of third-party add-ins

• Learn smarter ways to navigate the application and your own source code

• Customize shortcut keys, toolbars, menus, the toolbox, and much more

• Use the debugger successfully not only on your source code, but with T-SQL and scripting languages as well

• Automatically generate code

• Learn how the server can be used to interface with databases, services, and performance counters, as well as WMI

• Use and create Visual Studio add-ins to extend its functionality

Offering valuable tips, tools, and tricks, Visual Studio Hacks takes you far beyond the suite's usual capabilities. You can read this book from cover to cover or, because each hack stands its own, you can feel free to browse and jump to the different sections that interest you most. If there's a prerequisite you need to know about, a cross-reference will guide you to the right hack. If you want to experience the full spectrum of Visual Studio's functionality and flexibility, you'll find the perfect guide for exploration in Visual Studio Hacks. Once the final page is turned, you can confidently say that you've been exposed to everything that Visual Studio .NET is capable of doing.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 22 Ratings

Full of gems - 2006-01-06
Reviewer Rating:
I would say this book is must-have for any die-hard .Net coder. Visual Studio.Net is a powerful IDE, and it is an expensive piece of software. This book helps you to squeeze every dollar out of your investment.

Among 100 hacks in the book, #64 about Reflector is my favorite. It sent me deep below the skin of .Net framework and get me an intimate look at .Net.

I would give this book a solid five stars if all the hacks download work as book said, but some(although very few) of hacks have bugs that need some help. For example, hack #97 Classify add-in, when I downloaded it from the book's site and installed it, I got a cryptic keybinding invalid warning. But it got fixed when I emailed the author about the problem. Thank you, James for your responsiveness.
Ying

A must have for any VS 2005 developer - 2006-02-10
Reviewer Rating:
If you want to remain a Junior Programmer forever, then don't get this book. But if you want to really excel as a VS 2005 programmer, then you need to get this book. There is no fluff in this book at all. It is densly packed with a ton of useful details on the VS 2005 IDE. Not only do you learn the ins and outs of the IDE but it also guides you through several very useful 3rd party add-ins to VS.

This book is a terrific read and a great reference. I can't say that about too many books.

Great collection of tips, tricks, and info to improve your VS experience - 2005-11-20
Reviewer Rating:
I've been using Visual Studio .NET for a couple of years now, and while I've always managed to get the things done that I needed, it was not always done in the most efficient way. However, it was not until I read this book that I realized that.

The book is well organized, divided into 13 logical chapters, each focusing on a particular area. My favorite was "Customizing Visual Studio" which shows you many ways to setup VS to work best for you and your particular needs. The book also has tons of screenshots and very clear instructions, which I have found that many computer books lack these days, especially some of the other O'Reilly books. In addition, there are lots of code samples, where applicable.

Another great thing that book included was info about a bunch of VS add-ins. There are literally hundreds of them out there, so it was nice to have someone else spend all the time sorting through them and letting the reader know which ones are worth their time.

Overall, it's a great book for anybody who uses Visual Studio .NET

Good quick reference - 2006-07-13
Reviewer Rating:
A lot of the tips in this book were either painfully obvious or were more "product reviews" of third-party tools than tips. But the format was easily accessible and enjoyable to read. There were enough real, productivity enhancing tips to make it worth the read.

The book was published with 2005 was in beta and so most of the tips are 2003-centric. I would like to see this book updated to be more of a "power-tips" book for 2005.

Overall--good read. It will help you use the dev environment more productively.

good but not for a vs starter - 2005-10-04
Reviewer Rating:
I'm looking a visual studio book which really explain what is going on with Visual Studio from how to use it to what is really happening behind the scenes. This books DOES NOT do this.

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