Feb 06, 2013 I’m using Visual Studio 2010. Solution Explorer isn’t there. I clicked View > Toolbar. I don’t see it anywhere.
- Visual Studio Search Solution
- Visual Studio Solution Explorer Refresh
- Show Solution Explorer Visual Studio
- Visual Studio Solution Explorer View
- Microsoft Visual Studio For Mac
- A complete list of all keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio 2017. Visual Studio 2017 keyboard shortcuts The complete list. 2012; 2013; 2015; 2017; Build. Solution Explorer Open Files Filter Ctrl+[, O Ctrl+[, Ctrl+O Pending Changes Filter. Server Explorer Ctrl+Alt+S Show Smart Tag Shift+Alt+F10 Ctrl+. Solution Explorer Ctrl+Alt+L SQLServer.
- Visual Studio for Mac. Hidden files showing in solution explorer without show hidden files selected. That would also help us identify if there’s a problem with.
Menu: Tools -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> General
Versions: 2008,2010
Published: 3/26/2010
Code: vstipProj0008
If you don’t like seeing the solution file in Solution Explorer, you can easily hide it (or show it if you have it hidden). First, let’s review what the default looks like with the solution file showing:
Now if we go to Tools -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> General and uncheck ‘Always show solution’:
This is the result:
SPECIAL NOTE: This only works when there is one project in the solution. If you have multiple projects in your solution it will ignore this setting and give you the default view.
→
Projects hold the items needed to build your app in Visual Studio, such as source code files, bitmaps, icons, and component and service references. When you create a new project, Visual Studio creates a solution to contain the project. You can then add other new or existing projects to the solution if you want. Solutions can also contain files that aren’t connected to any specific project.
Note
This topic applies to Visual Studio on Windows. For Visual Studio for Mac, see Create projects in Visual Studio for Mac.
You can view your solutions and projects in a tool window called Solution Explorer. The following screenshot shows an example solution in Solution Explorer (BikeSharing.Xamarin-UWP) that contains two projects: BikeSharing.Clients.Core and BikeSharing.Clients.Windows. Each project contains multiple files, folders, and references. The project name in bold is the startup project; that is, the project that starts when you run the app. You can specify which project is the startup project.
While you can construct a project yourself by adding the necessary files to it, Visual Studio offers a selection of project templates to give you a head start. Creating a new project from a template gives you a project with the essentials for that project type, and you can rename the files or add new or existing code and other resources to it as needed.
That being said, solutions and projects are not required to develop apps in Visual Studio. You can also just open code that you have cloned from Git or downloaded elsewhere. For more information, see Develop code in Visual Studio without projects or solutions.
Create a project from a project template
For information about creating a new project from a template, see Create a new project in Visual Studio.
Create a project from existing code files
If you have a collection of code source files, you can easily add them to a project.
- On the menu, choose File > New > Project From Existing Code.
- In the Create Project from Existing Code Files wizard, choose the project type you want in the What type of project would you like to create? drop-down list box, and then choose the Next button.
- In the wizard, browse to the location of the files and then enter a name for the new project in the Name box. When you are done, choose the Finish button.
Note
This option works best for a relatively simple collection of files. Currently, only Visual C++, Apache Cordova, Visual Basic, and C# project types are supported.
Add files to a solution
If you have a file that applies to multiple projects, such as a readme file for the solution, or other files that logically belong at the solution level rather than under a specific project, then you can add them to the solution itself. To add an item to a solution, on the context (right-click) menu of the solution node in Solution Explorer, choose Add > New Item, or Add > Existing Item.
Create a .NET project that targets a specific version of the .NET Framework
When you create a .NET Framework project, you can specify a specific version of the .NET Framework that you want the project to use. (When you create a .NET Core project, you don’t specify a framework version.)
To specify a .NET Framework version, choose the Framework drop-down menu in the New Project dialog box.
Note
You must have .NET Framework 3.5 installed on your system to access .NET Framework versions earlier than .NET Framework 4.
To specify a .NET Framework version, choose the Framework drop-down menu on the Create a new project page.
Create empty solutions
You can also create empty solutions that have no projects. This might be preferable in cases where you want to construct your solution and projects from scratch.
To create an empty solution
- On the menu bar, choose File > New > Project.
- In the left (Templates) pane, choose Other Project Types > Visual Studio Solutions in the expanded list.
- In the middle pane, choose Blank Solution.
- Enter Name and Location values for your solution, and then choose OK.
- On the Create a new project page, type solution into the search box.
- Select the Blank Solution template, and then click Next.
- Enter Name and Location values for your solution, and then choose Create.
After you create an empty solution, you can add new or existing projects or items to it by choosing Add New Item or Add Existing Item on the Project menu.
As mentioned earlier, you can also open code files without needing a project or solution. To learn about developing code in this way, see Develop code in Visual Studio without projects or solutions.
Create a temporary project
(C# and Visual Basic only)
Visual Studio Search Solution
If you create a .NET-based project without specifying a disk location, it is a temporary project. Temporary projects enable you to experiment with .NET projects. At any time while you are working with a temporary project, you can choose to save it or discard it.
To create a temporary project, first go to Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions > General, and uncheck the Save new projects when created checkbox. Then open the New Project dialog box as usual.
Delete a solution, project, or item
You can delete solutions and their contents permanently, but not by using the Visual Studio IDE. Deleting items within Visual Studio only removes them from the current solution or project. To permanently delete a solution or other component from your system, use File Explorer to delete the folder that contains the .sln and .suo solution files. However, before permanently deleting a solution, it’s recommended that you back up any projects or files in case you need them again.
Note
Visual Studio Solution Explorer Refresh
The .suo file is a hidden file that is not displayed under the default File Explorer settings. To show hidden files, on the View menu in File Explorer, select the Hidden Items checkbox.
Show Solution Explorer Visual Studio
Permanently delete a solution
Visual Studio Solution Explorer View
- In Solution Explorer, on the right-click menu (context menu) of the solution you want to delete, choose Open folder in File Explorer.
- In File Explorer, navigate up one level.
- Choose the folder containing the solution and then press the Delete key.
