General Tab, Options Dialog Box (Visual Web Developer)

These settings allow you to adjust the default view in which Web pages open for editing in the HTML designer.

To access this dialog box

In Visual Web Developer, click Tools, and then click Options.

The Options dialog box opens.
Make sure the Show all settings check box is not selected, and then click the General node.

Enable HTML designer (requires restart of Visual Studio)
When this option is selected, you can edit pages in Design view. If you disable this option, you can edit pages only in Source view.

Source View
When this option is selected, the editor initially displays Web pages in Source view, showing the page's markup. For details, see NIB: Source View.
Design View
When this option is selected, the editor initially displays Web pages in Design view, showing a WYSIWYG-like view. For details, see Design View.
Split View
When this option is selected, the editor initially displays Web pages in both Design view and Source view.

Auto list members
When this check box is selected, pop-up lists of valid elements, properties, attributes, or methods are displayed as you edit markup in the Source view editor. Choose any item from the pop-up list to insert it into your markup.
Word wrap
When this check box is selected, any portion of a line that extends horizontally beyond the viewable editor area is automatically displayed on the next line. Selecting this option enables the Show visual glyphs for word wrap check box.
Line numbers
When this check box is selected, a line number appears next to each line in the Source view editor.

Note

These line numbers are not added to your markup, and do not print. They are for reference only.
Indenting
Specifies how the editor should indent lines.
- None When this option is selected, new lines are not indented. The insertion point is placed in the first column of a new line.
- Block When this option is selected, new lines are automatically indented. The insertion point is placed at the same starting point as the preceding line.
- Smart This option is not available in Visual Web Developer.
Tab size
Sets the distance between tab stops. The default is four spaces.
Indent size
Sets the size, in spaces, of an automatic indentation. The default is four spaces. Tab characters, space characters, or both will be inserted to fill the specified size.