How to: Create a Basic Code Snippet

IntelliSense Code Snippets are XML files with a .snippet file name extension that adhere to the IntelliSense Code Snippet XML schema. In this topic, you will create a basic code snippet that displays a message box. For more information on the Code Snippet XML schema, see Code Snippets Schema Reference.

Creating a Snippet File

To create a snippet file, you must create an XML file, and then write the XML code that makes up your code snippet. For more information on any of the XML elements used in the following examples, see Code Snippets Schema Reference.

To create a snippet file

1. Create an XML file, and then open it in the editor.

2. Below the automatically generated line of XML, add a CodeSnippets element with the proper xmlns attribute value, and a CodeSnippet element to create an individual code snippet. For example:

   <CodeSnippets xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/2005/CodeSnippet">
       <CodeSnippet Format="1.0.0">
   

3. Add a header section to the code snippet. For example:

   <Header>
       <Title>
           My Snippet
       </Title>
   </Header>
   

4. Add the elements that define the code snippet itself. In the following example, the language of the code snippet is Visual Basic.

   <Snippet>
       <Code Language="VB">
   
       </Code>
   </Snippet>
   

   Not

   The Language attribute also accepts the values CSharp, VJSharp, and XML. For more information, see Code Element (IntelliSense Code Snippets).

5. Inside the Code element, add the Visual Basic code for the snippet. All snippet code must be placed between <![CDATA[ and ]]> brackets. In the following example, the code that will be inserted is MessageBox.Show("Hello World").

   <Code Language="VB">
       <![CDATA[MessageBox.Show("Hello World")]]>
   </Code>
   

6. Inside the Snippet element, add the References element and all of the required child elements that add a reference to the project when the snippet is inserted. In this example, the code snippet adds a reference to System.Windows.Forms.dll when the snippet is inserted.

   Not

   Only Visual Basic code snippets support the References section. Code snippets in other languages require that the correct references be added manually.

   <Snippet>
       <References>
           <Reference>
               <Assembly>System.Windows.Forms.dll</Assembly>
           </Reference>
       </References>
       <Code Language="VB">
           <![CDATA[MessageBox.Show("Hello World")]]>
       </Code>
   </Snippet>
   

7. From the File menu, click Save <filename> As…, and save the file with a .snippet extension.

You can use this IntelliSense Code Snippet in Visual Studio by following the procedures in How to: Manage Code Snippets and How to: Insert IntelliSense Code Snippets.

Example

This example contains the entire IntelliSense Code Snippet created in the previous steps.

<CodeSnippets
    xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/2005/CodeSnippet">
    <CodeSnippet Format="1.0.0">
        <Header>
            <Title>
                My Snippet
            </Title>
        </Header>
        <Snippet>
            <References>
                <Reference>
                    <Assembly>System.Windows.Forms.dll</Assembly>
                </Reference>
            </References>
            <Code Language="VB">
                <![CDATA[MessageBox.Show("Hello World")]]>
            </Code>
        </Snippet>
    </CodeSnippet>
</CodeSnippets>

This example contains a Visual C# version of the IntelliSense Code Snippet created in the previous steps. Visual C# code snippets to do not support the References section, so a reference to System.Windows.Forms.dll must be added to the project manually.

<CodeSnippets
    xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/2005/CodeSnippet">
    <CodeSnippet Format="1.0.0">
        <Header>
            <Title>
                My Snippet
            </Title>
        </Header>
        <Snippet>
            <Code Language="CSharp">
                <![CDATA[MessageBox.Show("Hello World");]]>
            </Code>
        </Snippet>
    </CodeSnippet>
</CodeSnippets>

See Also

Reference

Creating Code Snippets

Creating and Using IntelliSense Code Snippets

Concepts

Code Snippets Schema Reference