Walkthrough: Displaying Signature Help
Signature Help (also known as Parameter Info) displays the signature of a method in a tooltip when a user types the parameter list start character (typically an opening parenthesis). As a parameter and parameter separator (typically a comma) are typed, the tooltip is updated to show the next parameter in bold. You can define Signature Help in the context of a language service, or you can define your own file name extension and content type and display Signature Help for just that type, or you can display Signature Help for an existing content type (for example, "text"). This walkthrough shows how to display Signature Help for the "text" content type.
Signature Help is typically triggered by typing a specific character, for example, "(" (opening parenthesis), and dismissed by typing another character, for example, ")" (closing parenthesis). IntelliSense features that are triggered by typing a character can be implemented by using a command handler for the keystrokes (the IOleCommandTarget interface) and a handler provider that implements the IVsTextViewCreationListener interface. To create the Signature Help source, which is the list of signatures that participate in Signature Help, implement the ISignatureHelpSource interface and a source provider that implements the ISignatureHelpSourceProvider interface. The providers are Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF) component parts, and are responsible for exporting the source and controller classes and importing services and brokers, for example, the ITextStructureNavigatorSelectorService, which lets you navigate in the text buffer, and the ISignatureHelpBroker, which triggers the Signature Help session.
This walkthrough shows how to implement Signature Help for a hard-coded set of identifiers. In full implementations, the language is responsible for providing that content.
Prerequisites
To complete this walkthrough, you must install the Visual Studio 2010 SDK.
Nota
For more information about the Visual Studio SDK, see Visual Studio Integration SDK. To find out how to download the Visual Studio SDK, see Visual Studio Extensibility Developer Center on the MSDN Web site.
Creating a MEF Project
To create a MEF project
Create an Editor Classifier project. Name the solution SignatureHelpTest.
Open the Source.extension.vsixmanifest file in the VSIX Manifest Editor.
Make sure that the Content heading contains a MEF Component content type and that the Path is set to SignatureHelpTest.dll.
Save and close Source.extension.vsixmanifest.
Add the following references to the project, and set CopyLocal to false:
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Language.Intellisense
Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell
Microsoft.VisualStudio.TextManager.Interop
Delete the existing class files.
Implementing Signature Help Signatures and Parameters
The Signature Help source is based on signatures that implement ISignature, each of which contains parameters that implement IParameter. In a full implementation, this information would be obtained from the language documentation, but in this example, the signatures are hard-coded.
To implement the Signature Help signatures and parameters
Add a class file and name it SignatureHelpSource.
Add the following imports.
Imports System Imports System.Collections.Generic Imports System.Linq Imports System.Text Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel Imports System.ComponentModel.Composition Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Language.Intellisense Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text.Editor Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Utilities Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text.Operations Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.TextManager.Interop Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop
using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Collections.ObjectModel; using System.ComponentModel.Composition; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Language.Intellisense; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text.Editor; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Utilities; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editor; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Text.Operations; using Microsoft.VisualStudio; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TextManager.Interop; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop;
Add a class named TestParameter that implements IParameter.
Friend Class TestParameter Implements IParameter
internal class TestParameter : IParameter
Add a constructor that sets all the properties.
Public Sub New(ByVal documentation As String, ByVal locus As Span, ByVal name As String, ByVal signature As ISignature) Me.privateDocumentation = documentation Me.privateLocus = locus Me.privateName = name Me.privateSignature = signature End Sub
public TestParameter(string documentation, Span locus, string name, ISignature signature) { Documentation = documentation; Locus = locus; Name = name; Signature = signature; }
Add the properties of IParameter.
Private privateDocumentation As String ReadOnly Property Documentation() As String Implements IParameter.Documentation Get Return privateDocumentation End Get End Property Private privateLocus As Span ReadOnly Property Locus() As Span Implements IParameter.Locus Get Return privateLocus End Get End Property Private privateName As String ReadOnly Property Name() As String Implements IParameter.Name Get Return privateName End Get End Property Private privateSignature As ISignature ReadOnly Property Signature() As ISignature Implements IParameter.Signature Get Return privateSignature End Get End Property Private privatePrettyPrintedLocus As Span ReadOnly Property PrettyPrintedLocus() As Span Implements IParameter.PrettyPrintedLocus Get Return privatePrettyPrintedLocus End Get End Property
public string Documentation { get; private set; } public Span Locus { get; private set; } public string Name { get; private set; } public ISignature Signature { get; private set; } public Span PrettyPrintedLocus { get; private set; }
Add a class named TestSignature that implements ISignature.
Friend Class TestSignature Implements ISignature
internal class TestSignature : ISignature
Add some private fields.
Private m_subjectBuffer As ITextBuffer Private m_currentParameter As IParameter Private m_content As String Private m_documentation As String Friend m_applicableToSpan As ITrackingSpan Friend m_parameters As ReadOnlyCollection(Of IParameter) Private m_printContent As String
private ITextBuffer m_subjectBuffer; private IParameter m_currentParameter; private string m_content; private string m_documentation; private ITrackingSpan m_applicableToSpan; private ReadOnlyCollection<IParameter> m_parameters; private string m_printContent;
Add a constructor that sets the fields and subscribes to the Changed event.
Friend Sub New(ByVal subjectBuffer As ITextBuffer, ByVal content As String, ByVal doc As String, ByVal parameters As ReadOnlyCollection(Of IParameter)) m_subjectBuffer = subjectBuffer m_content = content m_documentation = doc m_parameters = parameters AddHandler m_subjectBuffer.Changed, AddressOf OnSubjectBufferChanged End Sub
internal TestSignature(ITextBuffer subjectBuffer, string content, string doc, ReadOnlyCollection<IParameter> parameters) { m_subjectBuffer = subjectBuffer; m_content = content; m_documentation = doc; m_parameters = parameters; m_subjectBuffer.Changed += new EventHandler<TextContentChangedEventArgs>(OnSubjectBufferChanged); }
Declare a CurrentParameterChanged event. This event is raised when the user fills in one of the parameters in the signature.
Public Event CurrentParameterChanged As EventHandler(Of CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs) Implements ISignature.CurrentParameterChanged
public event EventHandler<CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs> CurrentParameterChanged;
Implement the CurrentParameter property so that it raises the CurrentParameterChanged event when the property value is changed.
ReadOnly Property CurrentParameter() As IParameter Implements ISignature.CurrentParameter Get Return m_currentParameter End Get End Property
public IParameter CurrentParameter { get { return m_currentParameter; } internal set { if (m_currentParameter != value) { IParameter prevCurrentParameter = m_currentParameter; m_currentParameter = value; this.RaiseCurrentParameterChanged(prevCurrentParameter, m_currentParameter); } } }
Add a method that raises the CurrentParameterChanged event.
Private Sub RaiseCurrentParameterChanged(ByVal prevCurrentParameter As IParameter, ByVal newCurrentParameter As IParameter) Dim tempHandler As EventHandler(Of CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs) = Me.CurrentParameterChangedEvent If tempHandler IsNot Nothing Then tempHandler(Me, New CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs(prevCurrentParameter, newCurrentParameter)) End If End Sub
private void RaiseCurrentParameterChanged(IParameter prevCurrentParameter, IParameter newCurrentParameter) { EventHandler<CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs> tempHandler = this.CurrentParameterChanged; if (tempHandler != null) { tempHandler(this, new CurrentParameterChangedEventArgs(prevCurrentParameter, newCurrentParameter)); } }
Add a method that computes the current parameter by comparing the number of commas in the ApplicableToSpan to the number of commas in the signature.
Friend Sub ComputeCurrentParameter() If Parameters.Count = 0 Then Me.m_currentParameter = Nothing Return End If 'the number of commas in the string is the index of the current parameter Dim sigText As String = ApplicableToSpan.GetText(m_subjectBuffer.CurrentSnapshot) Dim currentIndex As Integer = 0 Dim commaCount As Integer = 0 Do While currentIndex < sigText.Length Dim commaIndex As Integer = sigText.IndexOf(","c, currentIndex) If commaIndex = -1 Then Exit Do End If commaCount += 1 currentIndex = commaIndex + 1 Loop If commaCount < Parameters.Count Then Me.m_currentParameter = Parameters(commaCount) Else 'too many commas, so use the last parameter as the current one. Me.m_currentParameter = Parameters(Parameters.Count - 1) End If End Sub
internal void ComputeCurrentParameter() { if (Parameters.Count == 0) { this.CurrentParameter = null; return; } //the number of commas in the string is the index of the current parameter string sigText = ApplicableToSpan.GetText(m_subjectBuffer.CurrentSnapshot); int currentIndex = 0; int commaCount = 0; while (currentIndex < sigText.Length) { int commaIndex = sigText.IndexOf(',', currentIndex); if (commaIndex == -1) { break; } commaCount++; currentIndex = commaIndex + 1; } if (commaCount < Parameters.Count) { this.CurrentParameter = Parameters[commaCount]; } else { //too many commas, so use the last parameter as the current one. this.CurrentParameter = Parameters[Parameters.Count - 1]; } }
Add an event handler for the Changed event that calls the ComputeCurrentParameter() method.
Friend Sub OnSubjectBufferChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As TextContentChangedEventArgs) Me.ComputeCurrentParameter() End Sub
internal void OnSubjectBufferChanged(object sender, TextContentChangedEventArgs e) { this.ComputeCurrentParameter(); }
Implement the ApplicableToSpan property. This property holds an ITrackingSpan that corresponds to the span of text in the buffer to which the signature applies.
ReadOnly Property ApplicableToSpan() As ITrackingSpan Implements ISignature.ApplicableToSpan Get Return (m_applicableToSpan) End Get End Property
public ITrackingSpan ApplicableToSpan { get { return (m_applicableToSpan); } internal set { m_applicableToSpan = value; } }
Implement the other parameters.
ReadOnly Property Content() As String Implements ISignature.Content Get Return (m_content) End Get End Property ReadOnly Property Documentation() As String Implements ISignature.Documentation Get Return (m_documentation) End Get End Property ReadOnly Property Parameters() As ReadOnlyCollection(Of IParameter) Implements ISignature.Parameters Get Return (m_parameters) End Get End Property ReadOnly Property PrettyPrintedContent() As String Implements ISignature.PrettyPrintedContent Get Return (m_printContent) End Get End Property
public string Content { get { return (m_content); } internal set { m_content = value; } } public string Documentation { get { return (m_documentation); } internal set { m_documentation = value; } } public ReadOnlyCollection<IParameter> Parameters { get { return (m_parameters); } internal set { m_parameters = value; } } public string PrettyPrintedContent { get { return (m_printContent); } internal set { m_printContent = value; } }
Implementing the Signature Help Source
The Signature Help source is the set of signatures for which you provide information.
To implement the Signature Help source
Add a class named TestSignatureHelpSource that implements ISignatureHelpSource.
Friend Class TestSignatureHelpSource Implements ISignatureHelpSource
internal class TestSignatureHelpSource : ISignatureHelpSource
Add a reference to the text buffer.
Private m_textBuffer As ITextBuffer
private ITextBuffer m_textBuffer;
Add a constructor that sets the text buffer and the Signature Help source provider.
Public Sub New(ByVal textBuffer As ITextBuffer) m_textBuffer = textBuffer End Sub
public TestSignatureHelpSource(ITextBuffer textBuffer) { m_textBuffer = textBuffer; }
Implement the AugmentSignatureHelpSession method. In this example, the signatures are hard-coded, but in a full implementation you would get this information from the language documentation.
Public Sub AugmentSignatureHelpSession(ByVal session As ISignatureHelpSession, ByVal signatures As IList(Of ISignature)) Implements ISignatureHelpSource.AugmentSignatureHelpSession Dim snapshot As ITextSnapshot = m_textBuffer.CurrentSnapshot Dim position As Integer = session.GetTriggerPoint(m_textBuffer).GetPosition(snapshot) Dim applicableToSpan As ITrackingSpan = m_textBuffer.CurrentSnapshot.CreateTrackingSpan(New Span(position, 0), SpanTrackingMode.EdgeInclusive, 0) signatures.Add(CreateSignature(m_textBuffer, "add(int firstInt, int secondInt)", "Documentation for adding integers.", applicableToSpan)) signatures.Add(CreateSignature(m_textBuffer, "add(double firstDouble, double secondDouble)", "Documentation for adding doubles.", applicableToSpan)) End Sub
public void AugmentSignatureHelpSession(ISignatureHelpSession session, IList<ISignature> signatures) { ITextSnapshot snapshot = m_textBuffer.CurrentSnapshot; int position = session.GetTriggerPoint(m_textBuffer).GetPosition(snapshot); ITrackingSpan applicableToSpan = m_textBuffer.CurrentSnapshot.CreateTrackingSpan( new Span(position, 0), SpanTrackingMode.EdgeInclusive, 0); signatures.Add(CreateSignature(m_textBuffer, "add(int firstInt, int secondInt)", "Documentation for adding integers.", applicableToSpan)); signatures.Add(CreateSignature(m_textBuffer, "add(double firstDouble, double secondDouble)", "Documentation for adding doubles.", applicableToSpan)); }
The helper method CreateSignature() is provided just for illustration.
Private Function CreateSignature(ByVal textBuffer As ITextBuffer, ByVal methodSig As String, ByVal methodDoc As String, ByVal span As ITrackingSpan) As TestSignature Dim sig As New TestSignature(textBuffer, methodSig, methodDoc, Nothing) AddHandler textBuffer.Changed, AddressOf sig.OnSubjectBufferChanged 'find the parameters in the method signature (expect methodname(one, two) Dim pars() As String = methodSig.Split(New Char() {"("c, ","c, ")"c}) Dim paramList As New List(Of IParameter)() Dim locusSearchStart As Integer = 0 For i As Integer = 1 To pars.Length - 1 Dim param As String = pars(i).Trim() If String.IsNullOrEmpty(param) Then Continue For End If 'find where this parameter is located in the method signature Dim locusStart As Integer = methodSig.IndexOf(param, locusSearchStart) If locusStart >= 0 Then Dim locus As New Span(locusStart, param.Length) locusSearchStart = locusStart + param.Length paramList.Add(New TestParameter("Documentation for the parameter.", locus, param, sig)) End If Next i sig.m_Parameters = New ReadOnlyCollection(Of IParameter)(paramList) sig.m_ApplicableToSpan = span sig.ComputeCurrentParameter() Return sig End Function
private TestSignature CreateSignature(ITextBuffer textBuffer, string methodSig, string methodDoc, ITrackingSpan span) { TestSignature sig = new TestSignature(textBuffer, methodSig, methodDoc, null); textBuffer.Changed += new EventHandler<TextContentChangedEventArgs>(sig.OnSubjectBufferChanged); //find the parameters in the method signature (expect methodname(one, two) string[] pars = methodSig.Split(new char[] { '(', ',', ')' }); List<IParameter> paramList = new List<IParameter>(); int locusSearchStart = 0; for (int i = 1; i < pars.Length; i++) { string param = pars[i].Trim(); if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(param)) continue; //find where this parameter is located in the method signature int locusStart = methodSig.IndexOf(param, locusSearchStart); if (locusStart >= 0) { Span locus = new Span(locusStart, param.Length); locusSearchStart = locusStart + param.Length; paramList.Add(new TestParameter("Documentation for the parameter.", locus, param, sig)); } } sig.Parameters = new ReadOnlyCollection<IParameter>(paramList); sig.ApplicableToSpan = span; sig.ComputeCurrentParameter(); return sig; }
Implement the GetBestMatch method. In this example, there are just two signatures, each of which has two parameters. Therefore, this method is not required. In a fuller implementation, in which more than one Signature Help source is available, this method is used to decide whether the highest-priority Signature Help source can supply a matching signature. If it cannot, the method returns null and the next-highest-priority source is asked to supply a match.
Public Function GetBestMatch(ByVal session As ISignatureHelpSession) As ISignature Implements ISignatureHelpSource.GetBestMatch If session.Signatures.Count > 0 Then Dim applicableToSpan As ITrackingSpan = session.Signatures(0).ApplicableToSpan Dim text As String = applicableToSpan.GetText(applicableToSpan.TextBuffer.CurrentSnapshot) If text.Trim().Equals("add") Then 'get only "add" Return session.Signatures(0) End If End If Return Nothing End Function
public ISignature GetBestMatch(ISignatureHelpSession session) { if (session.Signatures.Count > 0) { ITrackingSpan applicableToSpan = session.Signatures[0].ApplicableToSpan; string text = applicableToSpan.GetText(applicableToSpan.TextBuffer.CurrentSnapshot); if (text.Trim().Equals("add")) //get only "add" return session.Signatures[0]; } return null; }
Implement the Dispose() method:
Private m_isDisposed As Boolean Public Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose If Not m_isDisposed Then GC.SuppressFinalize(Me) m_isDisposed = True End If End Sub
private bool m_isDisposed; public void Dispose() { if (!m_isDisposed) { GC.SuppressFinalize(this); m_isDisposed = true; } }
Implementing the Signature Help Source Provider
The Signature Help source provider is responsible for exporting the Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF) component part and for instantiating the Signature Help source.
To implement the Signature Help source provider
Add a class named TestSignatureHelpSourceProvider that implements ISignatureHelpSourceProvider, and export it with a NameAttribute, a ContentTypeAttribute of "text", and an OrderAttribute of Before="default".
<Export(GetType(ISignatureHelpSourceProvider)), Name("Signature Help source"), Order(Before:="default"), ContentType("text")> Friend Class TestSignatureHelpSourceProvider Implements ISignatureHelpSourceProvider
[Export(typeof(ISignatureHelpSourceProvider))] [Name("Signature Help source")] [Order(Before = "default")] [ContentType("text")] internal class TestSignatureHelpSourceProvider : ISignatureHelpSourceProvider
Implement TryCreateSignatureHelpSource by instantiating the TestSignatureHelpSource.
Public Function TryCreateSignatureHelpSource(ByVal textBuffer As ITextBuffer) As ISignatureHelpSource Implements ISignatureHelpSourceProvider.TryCreateSignatureHelpSource Return New TestSignatureHelpSource(textBuffer) End Function
public ISignatureHelpSource TryCreateSignatureHelpSource(ITextBuffer textBuffer) { return new TestSignatureHelpSource(textBuffer); }
Implementing the Command Handler
Signature Help is typically triggered by a ( character and dismissed by a ) character. You can handle these keystrokes by implementing a IOleCommandTarget so that it triggers a Signature Help session when it receives a ( character preceded by a known method name, and dismisses the session when it receives a ) character.
To implement the command handler
Add a class named TestSignatureHelpCommand that implements IOleCommandTarget.
Friend NotInheritable Class TestSignatureHelpCommandHandler Implements IOleCommandTarget
internal sealed class TestSignatureHelpCommandHandler : IOleCommandTarget
Add private fields for the IVsTextView adapter (which lets you add the command handler to the chain of command handlers), the text view, the Signature Help broker and session, a ITextStructureNavigator, and the next IOleCommandTarget.
Private m_nextCommandHandler As IOleCommandTarget Private m_textView As ITextView Private m_broker As ISignatureHelpBroker Private m_session As ISignatureHelpSession Private m_navigator As ITextStructureNavigator
IOleCommandTarget m_nextCommandHandler; ITextView m_textView; ISignatureHelpBroker m_broker; ISignatureHelpSession m_session; ITextStructureNavigator m_navigator;
Add a constructor to initialize these fields and to add the command filter to the chain of command filters.
Friend Sub New(ByVal textViewAdapter As IVsTextView, ByVal textView As ITextView, ByVal nav As ITextStructureNavigator, ByVal broker As ISignatureHelpBroker) Me.m_textView = textView Me.m_broker = broker Me.m_navigator = nav 'add this to the filter chain textViewAdapter.AddCommandFilter(Me, m_nextCommandHandler) End Sub
internal TestSignatureHelpCommandHandler(IVsTextView textViewAdapter, ITextView textView, ITextStructureNavigator nav, ISignatureHelpBroker broker) { this.m_textView = textView; this.m_broker = broker; this.m_navigator = nav; //add this to the filter chain textViewAdapter.AddCommandFilter(this, out m_nextCommandHandler); }
Implement the Exec method to trigger the Signature Help session when the command filter receives a ( character after one of the known method names, and to dismiss the session when it receives a ) character while the session is still active. In every case, the command is forwarded.
Public Function Exec(ByRef pguidCmdGroup As Guid, ByVal nCmdID As UInteger, ByVal nCmdexecopt As UInteger, ByVal pvaIn As IntPtr, ByVal pvaOut As IntPtr) As Integer Implements IOleCommandTarget.Exec Dim typedChar As Char = Char.MinValue If pguidCmdGroup = VSConstants.VSStd2K AndAlso nCmdID = CUInt(VSConstants.VSStd2KCmdID.TYPECHAR) Then typedChar = CChar(ChrW(CUShort(Marshal.GetObjectForNativeVariant(pvaIn)))) If typedChar.Equals("("c) Then 'move the point back so it's in the preceding word Dim point As SnapshotPoint = m_textView.Caret.Position.BufferPosition - 1 Dim extent As TextExtent = m_navigator.GetExtentOfWord(point) Dim word As String = extent.Span.GetText() If word.Equals("add") Then m_session = m_broker.TriggerSignatureHelp(m_textView) End If ElseIf typedChar.Equals(")"c) AndAlso m_session IsNot Nothing Then m_session.Dismiss() m_session = Nothing End If End If Return m_nextCommandHandler.Exec(pguidCmdGroup, nCmdID, nCmdexecopt, pvaIn, pvaOut) End Function
public int Exec(ref Guid pguidCmdGroup, uint nCmdID, uint nCmdexecopt, IntPtr pvaIn, IntPtr pvaOut) { char typedChar = char.MinValue; if (pguidCmdGroup == VSConstants.VSStd2K && nCmdID == (uint)VSConstants.VSStd2KCmdID.TYPECHAR) { typedChar = (char)(ushort)Marshal.GetObjectForNativeVariant(pvaIn); if (typedChar.Equals('(')) { //move the point back so it's in the preceding word SnapshotPoint point = m_textView.Caret.Position.BufferPosition - 1; TextExtent extent = m_navigator.GetExtentOfWord(point); string word = extent.Span.GetText(); if (word.Equals("add")) m_session = m_broker.TriggerSignatureHelp(m_textView); } else if (typedChar.Equals(')') && m_session != null) { m_session.Dismiss(); m_session = null; } } return m_nextCommandHandler.Exec(ref pguidCmdGroup, nCmdID, nCmdexecopt, pvaIn, pvaOut); }
Implement the QueryStatus method so that it always forwards the command.
Public Function QueryStatus(ByRef pguidCmdGroup As Guid, ByVal cCmds As UInteger, ByVal prgCmds() As OLECMD, ByVal pCmdText As IntPtr) As Integer Implements IOleCommandTarget.QueryStatus Return m_nextCommandHandler.QueryStatus(pguidCmdGroup, cCmds, prgCmds, pCmdText) End Function
public int QueryStatus(ref Guid pguidCmdGroup, uint cCmds, OLECMD[] prgCmds, IntPtr pCmdText) { return m_nextCommandHandler.QueryStatus(ref pguidCmdGroup, cCmds, prgCmds, pCmdText); }
Implementing the Signature Help Command Provider
You can provide the Signature Help command by implementing the IVsTextViewCreationListener to instantiate the command handler when the text view is created.
To implement the Signature Help command provider
Add a class named TestSignatureHelpController that implements IVsTextViewCreationListener and export it with the NameAttribute, ContentTypeAttribute, and TextViewRoleAttribute.
<Export(GetType(IVsTextViewCreationListener)), Name("Signature Help controller"), TextViewRole(PredefinedTextViewRoles.Editable), ContentType("text")> Friend Class TestSignatureHelpCommandProvider Implements IVsTextViewCreationListener
[Export(typeof(IVsTextViewCreationListener))] [Name("Signature Help controller")] [TextViewRole(PredefinedTextViewRoles.Editable)] [ContentType("text")] internal class TestSignatureHelpCommandProvider : IVsTextViewCreationListener
Import the IVsEditorAdaptersFactoryService (used to get the ITextView, given the IVsTextView object), the ITextStructureNavigatorSelectorService (used to find the current word), and the ISignatureHelpBroker (to trigger the Signature Help session).
<Import()> Friend AdapterService As IVsEditorAdaptersFactoryService <Import()> Friend Property NavigatorService() As ITextStructureNavigatorSelectorService <Import()> Friend SignatureHelpBroker As ISignatureHelpBroker
[Import] internal IVsEditorAdaptersFactoryService AdapterService; [Import] internal ITextStructureNavigatorSelectorService NavigatorService { get; set; } [Import] internal ISignatureHelpBroker SignatureHelpBroker;
Implement the VsTextViewCreated method by instantiating the TestSignatureCommandHandler.
Public Sub VsTextViewCreated(ByVal textViewAdapter As IVsTextView) Implements IVsTextViewCreationListener.VsTextViewCreated Dim textView As ITextView = AdapterService.GetWpfTextView(textViewAdapter) If textView Is Nothing Then Return End If textView.Properties.GetOrCreateSingletonProperty(Function() New TestSignatureHelpCommandHandler(textViewAdapter, textView, NavigatorService.GetTextStructureNavigator(textView.TextBuffer), SignatureHelpBroker)) End Sub
public void VsTextViewCreated(IVsTextView textViewAdapter) { ITextView textView = AdapterService.GetWpfTextView(textViewAdapter); if (textView == null) return; textView.Properties.GetOrCreateSingletonProperty( () => new TestSignatureHelpCommandHandler(textViewAdapter, textView, NavigatorService.GetTextStructureNavigator(textView.TextBuffer), SignatureHelpBroker)); }
Building and Testing the Code
To test this code, build the SignatureHelpTest solution and run it in the experimental instance.
To build and test the SignatureHelpTest solution
Build the solution.
When you run this project in the debugger, a second instance of Visual Studio is instantiated.
Create a text file and type some text that includes the word "add" plus an opening parenthesis.
After you type the opening parenthesis, you should see a tooltip that displays a list of the two signatures for the add() method.
See Also
Tasks
Walkthrough: Linking a Content Type to a File Name Extension