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Visual C++ provides context-sensitive menus, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and other features so you have what you need when you need it without clutter. You can also customize these features to reflect your working style.
Visual C++ often provides a variety of methods for accessing commands. The documentation usually describes a standard method using the Menu Bar, but you may find that toolbar buttons, shortcut menus, or keyboard shortcuts work better for you.
Dynamic Menu Bar
The Menu Bar is context-sensitive. When you begin a new activity, you might notice a new item appearing in the Menu Bar. The drop-down menus listed on the Menu Bar change depending on what you are doing. Some commands are specific to an editor; these are present in a menu only when that editor is in use. Any other command that does not apply to the current situation appears dimmed in the menu.
Shortcut menus
In many of the windows and panes in Visual C++, you can display a shortcut menu by right-clicking either a selected item in a list or the background of the pane or window.
The shortcut menu includes common commands related to the area or item. Many of the commands on the shortcut menus are also available by using the Menu Bar. However, you can often issue a command with fewer steps by using the shortcut menu.
Quick access to common dialog boxes
In windows where lists appear, you can often display a commonly used dialog box by double-clicking an item in the list. The particular dialog box that appears depends on the item you double-click and on the context.
Editable property pages
You can display properties by selecting an item, right-clicking it, and clicking Properties in the shortcut menu. The properties are displayed in a property page, which may have several tabs. You can keep this property page on top of other windows by clicking the push-pin button in the upper-left corner. If any properties are editable, you can change them by editing within the property page.
For example, a new source window opens when you create a new text file. As you type code, the syntax coloring depends on the language property of this window. Right-click anywhere in the source window and click Properties to view the property page. To change the syntax coloring, select a different language.
Context-sensitive toolbar display
When you begin editing or start a new activity, the appropriate toolbars appear for the work you are doing. To display any other available toolbar, click Customize on the Tools menu, click the Toolbars tab, and select the appropriate check box.
Many toolbar buttons are equivalent to menu commands, but you can also have toolbar buttons without a counterpart on any menu.
Context-sensitive keyboard shortcuts
Shortcut keys change dynamically, depending on what you are doing. You can display a list of current keyboard shortcuts and assign different shortcut keys.
Quick information about toolbar buttons and commands
You can display quick information about each toolbar button by placing the mouse pointer on the toolbar button. (You do not click or press a mouse button.) A tooltip displays the name of the toolbar button, and a brief description appears in the lower-left corner of the application window (the status bar).
To display a description of the action associated with a menu command, place the mouse pointer over the menu command. The description appears in the status bar.
Customizable toolbars and menus
You can change existing toolbars, create custom toolbars, add menus to toolbars, move or copy toolbar buttons and menu commands, rearrange menus, and change the appearance of buttons and commands.