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Fonts and Colors, Environment, Options Dialog Box

  • Article

The Fonts and Colors page of the Options dialog box lets you establish a custom font and color scheme for various user interface elements in the integrated development environment (IDE). You can access this dialog box by clicking Options on the Tools menu, and then selecting the Fonts and Colors page in the Environment folder. If this page does not appear in the list, select Show all settings in the Options dialog box.

Note

The dialog boxes and menu commands you see might differ from those described in Help depending on your active settings or edition. To change your settings, choose Import and Export Settings on the Tools menu. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.

Color scheme changes do not take effect during the session in which you make them. You can evaluate color changes by opening another instance of Visual Studio and producing the conditions under which you expect your changes to apply.

  • Show settings for
    Lists all of the user interface elements for which you can change font and color schemes. After selecting an item from this list you can customize color settings for the item selected in Display items.

    • Text Editor

      Changes to font style, size, and color display settings for Text Editor affect the appearance of text in your default text editor. Documents opened in a text editor outside the IDE will not be affected by these settings.

    • Printer

      Changes to font style, size, and color display settings for Printer affect the appearance of text in printed documents.

      Note

      As needed, you can select a different default font for printing than that used for display in the text editor. This can be useful when printing code that contains both single-byte and double-byte characters.

    • Statement Completion

      Changes the font style and size for the text that appears in statement completion pop-up in the editor.

    • Editor Tooltip

      Changes the font style and size for the text that appears in ToolTips displayed in the editor.

    • Environment Font

      Changes the font style and size for all IDE user interface elements that do not already have a separate option in Show settings for. For example, this option applies to the Start Page but would not affect the Output window.

    • [All Text Tool Windows]

      Changes to font style, size, and color display settings for this item affect the appearance of text in tool windows that have output panes in the IDE. For example, Output window, Command window, Immediate window, etc.

      Note

      Changes to the text of [All Text Tool Windows] items do not take effect during the session in which you make them. You can evaluate such changes by opening another instance of Visual Studio.

  • Use Defaults/Use
    Resets the font and color values of the list item selected in Show settings for. The Use button appears when other display schemes are available for selection. For example, you can choose from two schemes for the Printer.

  • Font (bold type indicates fixed-width fonts)
    Lists all the fonts installed on your system. When the drop-down menu first appears, the current font for the element selected in the Show settings for field is highlighted. Fixed fonts — which are easier to align in the editor — appear in bold.

  • Size
    Lists available point sizes for the highlighted font. Changing the size of the font affects all Display items for the Show settings for selection.

  • Display items
    Lists the items for which you can modify the foreground and background color.

    Note

    PlainText is the default display item. As such, properties assigned to PlainText will be overridden by properties assigned to other display items. For example, if you assign the color blue to PlainText and the color green to Identifier, all identifiers will appear in green. In this example, Identifier properties override PlainText properties.

    Some of display items include:

    Display item

    Description

    Plain Text

    Text in the editor.

    Selected Text

    Text that is included in the current selection when the editor has focus.

    Inactive Selected Text

    Text that is included in the current selection when the editor has lost focus.

    Indicator Margin

    The margin at the left of the Code Editor where breakpoints and bookmark icons are displayed.

    Line Numbers

    Optional numbers that appear next to each line of code

    Visible White Space

    Spaces, tabs and word wrap indicators

    Bookmark

    Lines that have bookmarks. Bookmark is only visible if the indicator margin is disabled.

    Brace Matching (Highlight)

    Highlighting that is typically bold formatting for matching braces.

    Brace Matching (Rectangle)

    Highlighting that is typically a grey rectangle in the background.

    Breakpoint (Disabled)

    Not used.

    Breakpoint (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing simple breakpoints. This option is applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint (Error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing breakpoints that are in an error state. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing breakpoints that are in a warning state. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Advanced (Disabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing disabled conditional or hit-counted breakpoints. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Advanced (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted breakpoints. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Advanced (Error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted breakpoints that are in an error state. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Advanced (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted breakpoints that are in a warning state. Applicable only if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Mapped (Disabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing disabled mapped breakpoints. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Mapped (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped breakpoints. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Mapped (Error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped breakpoints in an error state. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Breakpoint - Mapped (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped breakpoints in a warning state. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    C/C++ User Keywords

    A constant within a particular code file defined by means of the #define directive.

    Call Return

    Specifies the highlight color for source statements or lines that indicate call return points when context is switched to a non-top stack frame when debugging.

    Code Snippet Dependent Field

    A field that will be updated when the current editable field is modified.

    Code Snippet Field

    Editable field when a code snippet is active.

    Collapsible Text

    A block of text or code that can be toggled in and out of view within the Code Editor.

    Comment

    Code comments.

    Compiler Error

    Blue squiggles in the editor indicating a compiler error.

    Coverage Not Touched Area

    Code that has not been covered by a unit test.

    Coverage Partially Touched Area

    Code that has been partially covered by a unit test.

    Coverage Touched Area

    Code that has been completely covered by a unit test.

    CSS Comment

    A comment in Cascading Style Sheets. For example:

    /* comment */

    CSS Keyword

    Keywords in the Cascading Style Sheet.

    CSS Property Name

    The name of a property, such as Background.

    CSS Property Value

    The value assigned to a property such as blue.

    CSS Selector

    A string that identifies what elements the corresponding rule applies to. A selector can either be a simple selector, such a 'H1', or a contextual selector, such as 'H1 B', which consists of several simple selectors.

    CSS String Value

    A string in Cascading Style Sheets.

    Current list location

    Current line navigated to in a list tool window, such as the Output window or Find Results windows.

    Current Statement

    Specifies the highlight color for the source statement or line that indicates the current step position when debugging.

    Debugger Data Changed

    The color of text used to display changed data inside the Registers and Memory windows.

    Definition Window Background

    The background color of the Code Definition window.

    Definition Window Current Match

    The current definition in the Code Definition window.

    Disassembly File Name

    The color of text used to display file name breaks inside the Disassembly window.

    Disassembly Source

    The color of text used to display source lines inside the Disassembly window.

    Disassembly Symbol

    The color of text used to display symbol names inside the Disassembly window.

    Disassembly Text

    The color of text used to display op-code and data inside the Disassembly window.

    Excluded Code

    Code that is not to be compiled, per a conditional preprocessor directive such as #if.

    Identifier

    Identifiers in code such as the class names, methods names, and variable names.

    Keyword

    Keywords for the given language that are reserved. For example: class and namespace.

    Memory Address

    The color of text used to display the address column inside the Memory window.

    Memory Changed

    The color of text used to display changed data inside the Memory window.

    Memory Data

    The color of text used to display data inside the Memory window.

    Memory Unreadable

    The color of text used to display unreadable memory areas within the Memory window.

    Number

    A number in code that represents an actual numeric value.

    Operator

    Operators such as +, -, and !=.

    Other Error

    Other error types not covered by other error squiggles. Currently, this includes rude edits in Edit and Continue.

    Preprocessor Keyword

    Keywords used by the preprocessor such as #include.

    Read-Only Region

    Code that cannot be edited. For example code displayed in the Code Definition View window or code that cannot be modified during Edit and Continue.

    Refactoring Background

    Background color of the Preview Changes dialog box.

    Refactoring Current Field

    Background color of the current element to be refactored in the Preview Changes dialog box.

    Refactoring Dependent Field

    Color of references of the element to be refactored in the Preview Changes dialog box.

    Register Data

    The color of text used to display data inside the Registers window.

    Register NAT

    The color of text used to display unrecognized data and objects inside the Registers window.

    Smart Tag

    Used to denote the outline when smart tags are invoked.

    SQL DML Marker

    Applies to the Transact-SQL editor. DML statements in this editor are marked with a bounding blue box by default.

    Stale Code

    Superseded code awaiting an update. In some cases, Edit and Continue cannot apply code changes immediately, but will apply them later as you continue debugging. This occurs if you edit a function that must call the function currently executing, or if you add more than 64 bytes of new variables to a function waiting on the call stack. When this happens, the debugger displays a "Stale Code Warning" dialog box, and the superseded code continues to execute until the function in question finishes and is called again. Edit and Continue applies the code changes at that time.

    String

    String literals.

    String (C# @ Verbatim)

    String literals in C# that are interpreted verbatim. For example:

    @"x"

    Syntax Error

    Parse errors.

    Task List Shortcut

    If a Task List shortcut is added to a line, and the indicator margin is disabled, the line will be highlighted.

    Tracepoint (Disabled)

    Not used.

    Tracepoint (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing simple tracepoints. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint (error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing tracepoints that are in an error state. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing tracepoints that are in a warning state. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Advanced (Disabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing disabled conditional or hit-counted tracepoints. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Advanced (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted tracepoints. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Advanced (Error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted tracepoints that are in an error state. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Advanced (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing conditional or hit-counted tracepoints that are in a warning state. This option is applicable only if statement-level tracepoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Mapped (Disabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing disabled mapped tracepoints. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Mapped (Enabled)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped tracepoints. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Mapped (Error)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped tracepoints in an error state. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Tracepoint - Mapped (Warning)

    Specifies the highlight color for statements or lines containing mapped tracepoints in a warning state. Applicable for ASP or ASP.NET debugging if statement-level breakpoints are active or the Highlight entire source line for breakpoints or current statement option is selected on General, Debugging, Options Dialog Box.

    Track Changes after save

    Lines of code that have been modified since the file was opened but are saved to disk.

    Track Changes before save

    Lines of code that have been modified since the file was opened but are not saved to disk.

    User Types

    Types defined by users.

    User Types (Delegates)

    Type color for delegates.

    User Types (Enums)

    Type color used for enums.

    User Types (Interfaces)

    Type color for interfaces.

    User Types (Value types)

    Type color for value types such as structs in C#.

    Visual Basic Read Only Marker

    A marker specific to Visual Basic used for designating EnC, such as exception regions, a method definition, and non-leaf call frames.

    Warning

    Compiler warnings.

    Warning Lines Path

    Used for Static Analysis warning lines.

    XML Attribute

    Attribute names.

    XML Attribute Quotes

    The quote characters for XML attributes.

    XML Attribute Value

    Contents of XML attributes.

    XML Cdata Section

    Contents of <![CDATA[…]]>.

    XML Comment

    The contents of <!-- -->.

    XML Delimiter

    XML Syntax delimiters, including <, <?, <!, <!--, -->, ?>, <![, ]]>, and [, ].

    XML Doc Attribute

    The value of an xml documentation attribute, such as <param name="I"> where the "I" is colorized.

    XML Doc Comment

    The comments enclosed in the xml documentation comments.

    XML Doc Tag

    The tags in XML doc comments, such as

    /// <summary>.

    XML Keyword

    DTD keywords such as CDATA, IDREF, and NDATA.

    XML Name

    Element names and Processing Instructions target name.

    XML Processing Instruction

    Contents of Processing Instructions, not including target name.

    XML Text

    Plain text element content.

    XSLT Keyword

    XSLT element names.

  • Item foreground
    Lists the available colors you can choose for the foreground of the item selected in Display items. Because some items are related, and should therefore maintain a consistent display scheme, changing the foreground color of text also changes the defaults for elements such as Compiler Error, Keyword, or Operator.

    Automatic   Items can inherit the foreground color from other display items such as Plain Text. Using this option, when you change the color of an inherited display item, the color of the related display items also change automatically. For example, if you selected the Automatic value for Compiler Error and later changed the color of Plain Text to Red, Compiler Error would also automatically inherit the color Red.

    Default   The color that appears for the item the first time you start Visual Studio. Clicking the Use Defaults button resets to this color.

  • Custom
    Displays the Color dialog box to allow you to set a custom color for the item selected in the Display items list.

    Note

    Your ability to define custom colors may be limited by the color settings for your computer display. For example, if your computer is set to display 256 colors and you select a custom color from the Color dialog box, the IDE defaults to the closest available Basic color and displays the color black in the Color preview box.

  • Item background
    Provides a color palette from which you can choose a background color for the item selected in Display items. Because some items are related, and should therefore maintain a consistent display scheme, changing the background color of text also changes the defaults for elements such as Compiler Error, Keyword, or Operator.

    Automatic   Items can inherit the background color from other display items such as Plain Text. Using this option, when you change the color of an inherited display item, the color of the related display items also change automatically. For example, if you selected the Automatic value for Compiler Error and later changed the color of Plain Text to Red, Compiler Error would also automatically inherit the color Red.

    Default   The color that appears for the item the first time you start Visual Studio. Clicking the Use Defaults button resets to this color.

  • Custom
    Displays the Color dialog box to allow you to set a custom color for the item selected in the Display items list.

  • Bold
    Select this option to display the text of selected Display items in bold text. Bold text is easier to identify in the editor.

  • Sample
    Displays a sample of the font style, size, and color scheme for the Show settings for and Display items selected. You can use this box to preview the results as you experiment with different formatting options.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Change the Fonts and Colors Used in the IDE

Reference

Options Dialog Box (Visual Studio)

Other Resources

Environment, Options Dialog Box