Expert Settings

This topic explains how to enable additional toolbars and menus disabled in the default installation of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express.

Enabling Features

Editions of Microsoft Visual Studio Express install with different default settings than the fully featured editions of Visual Studio. These settings limit the immediate availability of menus and toolbars. Some useful features remain present in these editions, but they must be enabled to be viewed.

Note

This information applies only to editions of Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express, which includes Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone that is installed as part of the Microsoft Windows Phone SDK.

To enable Expert Settings

• On the Tools menu, select Settings, and then Expert Settings.

Figure 1.  Tools menu to select Expert Settings

After Expert Settings are enabled, the Build menu is visible. This menu offers options to Build, Rebuild, Publish, and Package your game.

It also makes visible the configuration drop-down list box.

Figure 2.  Configuration drop-down list box

Adding Solution Platforms

The Solution Platforms drop-down list box can be useful when developing cross-platform games. This tool allows you to limit your build and deploy for a single platform within a solution that supports more than one.

To add the Solution Platforms drop-down list box

1. Enable Expert Settings as described in the previous procedure.

2. On the Tools menu, select Customize.

   The Customize property sheet opens.

3. Click the Commands tab, click Toolbar, and then select Standard in the drop-down list box.

   

4. Click Add Command.

   The Add Command dialog box is launched.

5. In the Category pane, select Build, and then in the Commands pane select Solution Platforms at the bottom of the list.

6. Click OK.

   

7. If desired, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to position the drop-down within the toolbar.

8. Click Close.

See Also

Game Studio Features