How to: Navigate in the Object Browser
The Object Browser displays hierarchical structures within the current browsing scope in the Objects pane. You can expand structures in the Objects pane to reveal ordered lists of their members. Expanding an object also displays additional information about it, such as base classes, implemented interfaces, and available overrides.
Properties, methods, events, variables, constants, and other contained items are listed in the Members pane. Details on the item selected in the Members pane appear in the Description pane. As you select objects and members, they are added to the Object Browser's history list. For more information on the elements of the Object Browser and how they work, see Object Browser.
To move from a symbol to a related symbol
Select the symbol in the Objects or Members pane.
This updates the Description pane to display related symbols, such as the parent object, parameter and return types, and default constant values.
In the Description pane, click the link to the desired symbol.
The Object Browser displays the related symbol, and this symbol is added to the history list.
To move through the history list
Click the Back (left arrow) button to go back to the previously selected symbol. You can do this repeatedly to navigate through previously selected symbols until you reach the first browsed symbol.
Note
If you go back using the Back button and then select another symbol, all entries in the Forward part of the history list are cleared.
Click the Forward (right arrow) button to return to the selected symbol. You can do this repeatedly until you reach the currently selected symbol.
Tip
Use the Keyboard pane in the Options dialog box to assign shortcut keys to the commands View.Forward and View.Backward. You can then use these commands to navigate quickly to the next or previous item. For more information, see How to: Work with Shortcut Key Combinations.
To display the definition or declaration of a symbol
Right-click on the symbol node or on the Description pane.
Choose Go To Definition or Go To Declaration from the shortcut menu.
If the symbol is defined or declared in your code, the source file opens in the Code Editor and scrolls to the definition or declaration.
—or—
If the symbol is a .NET Framework class or COM component, Go To Definition selects its node in the Objects pane, lists its members in the Members pane, and displays details on the symbol in the Description pane.
See Also
Tasks
How to: View and Alter the Browsing Scope
How to: Search for Objects, Definitions, and References (Symbols)
Concepts
Using .bsc Files to Browse to References of C++ Symbols