Sometimes it’s the little things in life that matter the most. In the latest version of Visual Studio, we’ve added some features and tweaks that aim to put a smile on your face and make you more productive. Here is a list of some of these, and if you want the full list, make sure to check out the release notes.
Customize file encoding
Developers working in cross-platform environments often need files to be saved with specific file encodings. Changing these encodings can lead to various issues.
Visual Studio now allows you to set the default file encoding for saving files. This feature ensures that your preferred encoding is used whenever possible.
To set the default encoding, navigate to Tools → Options → Environment → Documents. There, you will find an option titled Save files with a specific encoding. If this option is unchecked, Visual Studio will manage file encoding using its default behavior. If checked, Visual Studio will use the encoding specified in the adjacent combo box whenever a file is saved.
If Visual Studio cannot save with the specified encoding (e.g., requesting ASCII encoding for a file containing Unicode characters), it will display a dialog informing you of the issue.
Choose whether to indent word wrap
We are excited to introduce a new feature that allows you to control whether wrapped lines are indented in the editor. This enhancement provides greater flexibility and customization for your coding environment, ensuring that your code appears exactly as you prefer.
To change this option, follow these steps:
- Go to Tools → Options → Text Editor → General.
- Look for the option called Automatically indent when word wrap is enabled.
By default, this option is enabled, meaning that wrapped lines will be indented. If you prefer your wrapped lines not to be indented, simply uncheck this option. This setting can help improve readability and maintain the desired formatting of your code, especially in projects where indentation style is crucial.
Preserve font preferences across themes
We understand that the fonts developers select when coding is a personal choice, influenced by preferences for readability, accessibility, or aesthetics. Visual Studio themes primarily focus on presentation colors and are independent of your preferred fonts.
With this update, we’ve introduced functionality to retain your font face and size choices when switching themes. You can now set your font preferences once and switch themes in Visual Studio without needing to reconfigure your font settings every time. Note that the colors of your fonts remain linked to the theme, as that is the purpose of themes, but your font selections will be preserved.
This feature will be enabled by default for all users. If you prefer the previous behavior, go to Tools > Manage Preview Features and find the option Separate font settings from color theme selection. If this option is checked, your font preferences will be maintained regardless of theme changes. Uncheck the box to reinstate the previous behavior which ties font choices to theme.
Reimagine the horizontal scrollbar
The editor tray in Visual Studio is a valuable space for a wealth of information. You can control your zoom, check the health of your document, see what line you’re on, and access a variety of additional information.
Unfortunately, sometimes all of that information can crowd out the horizontal scrollbar, making it difficult to scroll through your window. This is particularly true in a side-by-side view where the system tray isn’t very wide.
With this latest update, these struggles are a thing of the past. If the scrollbar drops below a usable width, it will reposition itself above the system tray to ensure it’s always accessible. By default, it will return to the editor tray as soon as there’s enough room for it again.
While we believe this behavior will be ideal for most users, if you encounter any issues, you can control the behavior in Tools → Options. The option is located under Text Editor → Advanced and is labeled Editor horizontal scrollbar location. This setting allows you to choose whether the scrollbar adjusts its position according to the available space, stays in the editor tray, or always appears above the editor tray.
Thank you!
We are dedicated to continuously improving your development experience, and many of these advancements are driven by your invaluable feedback and suggestions. Your input plays a vital role in shaping the future of Visual Studio, and we encourage you to keep sharing your ideas with us.
Happy coding!
