Find Symbol, Find and Replace Window
Find Symbol lets you search for a symbol in a Visual Studio project. You can use this dialog box to locate objects (namespaces, types, interfaces, enumerations, and other containers) and members (classes, properties, methods, events, constants, variables, and other contained items) in code.
Use one of the following methods to display Find Symbol in the Find and Replace window.
To display Find Symbol
Press ALT+F12.
-or-
On the Edit menu, point to Find and Replace and then click Find Symbol.
-or-
If the Find and Replace window is already open, on the left side of its toolbar, click the drop-down arrow on the Find list and then click Find Symbol.
Search matches are listed in the Find Symbol Results Window.
Find what
This field lets you specify the string or expression that will be matched.
- Find what
Reuse one of the last 20 search strings by selecting it from the drop-down list, or type all or part of a string.
Look in
The option chosen from the Look in list determines whether Find Symbol searches only in currently active files or in a broader set of components. Select a search scope from the list, or click the Browse (...) button to display the Edit Custom Component Set Dialog Box and modify the Other Components search scope.
Look in
Select a predefined search scope from the following table:Option
Description
All Components
Searches all available components for the Find what string. This includes the current solution and its referenced components, all of the .NET Framework, and any components that you have added using Add Other Components.
<Framework Versions>
You can select to search a specific version of the .NET Framework and the .NET Compact Framework. For example, if you have .NET Framework 2.0 and the .NET Framework 3.0 on your computer, you can choose to search only .NET Framework 3.0 This list may also include registered third-party frameworks.
My Solution
Searches the open solution.
Custom Component Set (Object Browser)
Searches the components currently added to the Custom Component Set search scope of the Object Browser.
Custom Component Set (Find Symbol)
Searches the components currently added to the Custom Component Set search scope in Find Symbol.
Look in References
When selected, the Find Symbol Result window displays references in the projects in the current browsing scope. By default, this option is selected.Browse (...)
Click this button to display the Edit Custom Component Set Dialog Box and modify the Other Components search scope. For more information, see How to: Modify the Browsing Scope in the Object Browser.
Find Options
You can expand or collapse the Find Options section. The following options can be selected or cleared:
Match whole word
When selected, the Find Symbol Result window displays only whole word matches.Match prefix
When selected, the Find Symbol Results window displays any symbols whose names begin with the Find what string. For example, a search for "MyObject" will return "MyObject," "MyObjectTest," and so forth, but not "CMyObject."Match substring
When selected, the Find Symbol Results window displays all symbols whose names include the Find what string anywhere. For example, a search for "MyObject" will return "MyObject," "MyObjectTest" and "CMyObject."Match case
When selected, the Find Symbol Results window displays a case-sensitive search.
Toolbar
A toolbar, with two drop-down lists, appears at the top of the Find and Replace window. These lists let you select the type of find or replace you intend to perform and changes the options displayed in the window to match.
Drop-down |
View menu |
|---|---|
Find (left drop-down list) |
Quick Find Find in Files Find Symbol |
Replace (right drop-down list) |
Quick Replace Replace in Files |
See Also
Tasks
How to: Search for Objects, Definitions, and References (Symbols)