Coding Horror: Keyboard Shortcut Summary Macro

October 9, 2005

Keyboard Shortcut Summary Macro

I finally had time to improve my Visual Studio .NET keyboard shortcut summary macro. Instead of writing HTML to the console*, it now creates a HTML file in your user documents folder, and navigates the IDE to the created file:

VS.NET keyboard shortcut summary macro screenshot

Download the Keyboard Shortcut Summary Macro (2kb ZIP)

The advantage of a macro, of course, is that it queries the IDE for the actual keyboard bindings. It can also be sorted and grouped however you like. Very handy for erstwhile keyboard ninjas! This macro is tested and working in both VS.NET 2003 and VS 2005. Note that the macro generates an appropriately named file in each case:

My Documents\Visual Studio .NET 2005 Keyboard Shortcuts.htm
My Documents\Visual Studio .NET 2003 Keyboard Shortcuts.htm

It's also smart enough not to re-render if the file already exists. If you want to force a re-render, delete the file.

Here's how to install and run this macro:

go to Tools - Macros - IDE
create a new Module named "KeyboardShortcuts" under "MyMacros"
paste the above code into the module
add a reference to the System.Data namespace*; make sure it builds with no errors
close the macro IDE window
go to Tools - Macros - Macro Explorer
A new macro named "List" will be under "KeyboardShortcuts." Double-click it to run the macro
the macro will take a moment to write the keyboard shortcuts to a HTML file, then open the HTML file in the IDE.

* in VS 2005, there are a few minor extra dependencies: you'll have to add a reference to System.Xml and also import EnvDTE80.

Posted by Jeff Atwood View blog reactions

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Comments

I'm new at vb.net running vs 2005 and have 2 (stupid) questions.

1. I don't see Macros...IDE on my Tools menu.
2. How do I "import EnvDTE"? I'm familiar with the Imports statement but unsure how to do this instruction.

Thanks for any help!

maatthias on May 3, 2007 2:48 PM

Very interesting, but my visual studio, unfortunately, does not accept the macro - seems like DataRow, DataTable, DataView, DataRowView etc does not exist... any idea why ?

This is indeed a neat trick, if it worked :)

Moe on August 3, 2007 10:07 AM

Very interesting, but my visual studio, unfortunately, does not accept the macro - seems like DataRow, DataTable, DataView, DataRowView etc does not exist... any idea why ?

This is indeed a neat trick, if it worked :)

Moe on August 3, 2007 10:08 AM

4. Add a reference to the System.Data namespace*; make sure it builds with no errors

Jeff Atwood on August 3, 2007 12:31 PM

Sorry, must have been blind. Seems like everything works :)
Thanks.
(Sorry for posting twice, don't know why that happened)

Moe on August 4, 2007 2:50 PM

You rock!

Mike on September 7, 2007 12:57 PM

For VS 2005, in addition to a _reference_* to System.Data, I also had to change a line in the ViewToHtmlTable() method:

'groupName = ToString(drv.Item(groupColumnName))
groupName = drv.Item(groupColumnName).ToString()

* for about 1/2 hour, I stared at the _Imports System.Data_ statement and said to myself, "I have a reference to System.Data."

Thanks very much for the great macro!

Charlie on November 26, 2007 4:38 PM

Didn't work for me. I tried everyones suggestions and the macro builds fine, just doesn't create the file. I'm running XP 64bit with VS.NET 2005

i3adme on December 5, 2007 2:24 PM

Works on Visual Studio 2008TS

I only needed to add references to System.Data.dll and System.XML.dll and their corresponding "Imports" and way to go.

really nice work :)

cheers

Jaume on April 22, 2008 2:29 AM

Jeff, this is a great tool. Thanks for sharing it.

++Alan

Alan on July 13, 2008 8:58 AM

Great macro!
Thank somuch !

HUY on August 27, 2008 3:23 AM

I've posted the cheat sheet result for the Visual Studio 2008 default C# keyboard shortcuts to save people the trouble of getting the macro running. It's here:

http://nerdfortress.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/visual-studio-2008-cheat-sheet/

Kurt Griffiths on September 13, 2008 8:03 PM

This works in VS2008. Thanks!

mawaldne on January 15, 2009 11:19 AM