If you like Visual Studio, and you like free, then you need to check out two really killer FREE extensions, or plugins, out on the Visual Studio Gallery.
The first one, Source Code Outliner PowerToy, is a great tool that gives you a full-blown outline of the code in whatever file you're currently using. The best way to describe it is to liken it to a document-outline when working with HTML in something like DreamWeaver, or to contrast it to that nasty-little drop down you get at the top of your code window in VB.NET - only this isn't a drop down (but double-clicking on anything takes you to its exact location in the code). (And, before I get flamed by VB users, I'm NOT saying VB's nasty - i'm saying that little drop down is nasty because it provides GREAT functionality, but I hate that all of the contents are in a tiny little drop down).
The second one, PowerCommands for Visual Studio 2008, is just a motley collection of various power-tools and augmentations for Visual Studio. But it offers over 20 different little tweaks, improvements, and options that will make your life tons easier. Fact is, I'm sure that just about everyone that uses this tool will find 4 or 5 different things that they've wanted their entire adult life...
Best of all, both plugins are not only free, but they're both just a few MBs each, and both have an MSI installer - so you can download them and install them in just seconds.
For the first one, you'd have that with Resharper along with a million other indispensable features (or try CodeRush). I'm always surprised when I run into a developer who isn't using one or the other.
Posted by: Ted Jardine | November 06, 2008 at 07:07 AM