Options, Text Editor, C#, IntelliSense

Use the IntelliSense options page to modify settings that affect the behavior of IntelliSense for C#.

To access this options page, choose Tools > Options > Text Editor > C# > IntelliSense.

The IntelliSense options page contains the following options:

Completion Lists

  • Show completion list after a character is typed*

    When this option is selected, IntelliSense automatically displays the completion list when you begin typing. When this option is not selected, IntelliSense completion is still available from the IntelliSense menu or by pressing Ctrl+Space.

  • Show completion list after a character is deleted

  • Automatically show completion list in argument lists

  • Highlight matching portions of completion list items

  • Show completion item filters

  • Automatically complete statement on semicolon

Snippets behavior

  • Never include snippets

    When this option is selected, IntelliSense never adds aliases for C# code snippets to the completion list.

  • Always include snippets

    When this option is selected, IntelliSense adds aliases for C# code snippets to the completion list. In the case where the code snippet alias is the same as a keyword, for example, class, the keyword is replaced by the shortcut. For more information, see C# Code Snippets.

  • Include snippets when ?-Tab is typed after an identifier

    When this option is selected, IntelliSense adds aliases for C# code snippets to the completion list when ?+Tab is pressed after an identifier

Enter key behavior

  • Never add new line on enter

    Specifies that a new line is never added automatically after selecting an item in the completion list and pressing Enter.

  • Only add new line on enter after end of fully typed word

    Specifies that if you type all the characters for an entry in the completion list and then press Enter, a new line is added automatically and the cursor moves to the new line.

    For example, if you type else and then press Enter, the following appears in the editor:

    else

    | (cursor location)

    However, if you type only el and then press Enter, the following appears in the editor:

    else| (cursor location)

  • Always add new line on enter

    Specifies that if you type any of the characters for an entry in the completion list and then press Enter, a new line is added automatically and the cursor moves to the new line.

Show name suggestions

Performs automatic object name completion for the members that you have recently selected.

Show items from unimported namespaces

Performs completion for types and extension methods that you haven't imported yet with a using directive.

Tab twice to insert arguments

Automatically inserts arguments when writing a method call. To use this feature, start writing a method call and press tab twice.

See also