Opening and Saving Project Items

  • Article

Note

This article applies to Visual Studio 2015. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here

When you add a new project type, you must manage the opening and saving of your projects files in the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE). The following topics discuss the different approaches to opening and saving files.

In This Section

Displaying Files By Using the Open File Command
Provides a step-by-step explanation of how the IDE handles the Open File command and the role of projects in responding to this command.

Displaying Files By Using the Open With Command
Provides a detailed, step-by-step explanation of how the IDE handles the Open With command, prompting the opening of a file that has some choice of standard editors.

How to: Open Project-Specific Editors
Provides step-by-step instructions for specifying that files of a particular type in your project should be opened by using a project-specific editor.

How to: Open Standard Editors
Provides step-by-step instructions for specifying how to enable the IDE to open a standard editor for files in your project type.

How to: Open Editors for Open Documents
Provides step-by-step instructions to open a project-specific editor for an open file.

Saving a Standard Document
Provides a detailed explanation of how the IDE handles the Save, Save As, and Save All commands for a document opened in a standard editor.

Saving a Custom Document
Provides a diagram and detailed explanation of how the IDE handles the Save, Save As, and Save All commands for documents opened in a custom editor.

Determining Which Editor Opens a File in a Project
Discusses the process that the IDE follows to select the appropriate editor or designer for a file.

Creating Custom Editors and Designers
Lists the four types of editors that the IDE can host and gives descriptions of each editor.

Project Types
Discusses how projects control the way that code is compiled and built, how editors are opened, and how project items are formatted.