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So now, let us examine another component called the solution explorer. In order to examine this, we actually have to create a project. In this case, we do not have a project so there is no solution for us to explore. Let us go ahead and create a sample project.

Select file, new, project. It really does not matter what project we select so let us just go ahead and use the windows application. We will go ahead and make sure to store that in our Lesson 1 Directory, which is located on the desktop in your project files directory.

I will go ahead and give this a name, understanding the IDE.

After you have selected this, go ahead and click Okay.

Now I have a sample windows form project.

If I look on my right side of my screen, I will see the solution explorer. If you do not see the solution explorer, here is a tip. Go ahead and select Ctrl Alt L, which will automatically popup the solution explorer in the default location. As you can see, the solution explorer is now populated with some data. Here, you will find references and files that belong to a Windows form application. Let us go ahead and take a look at some of this.

If you expand the references note, you will see that Visual Studio has automatically added references that I may want to use for a Windows form project specifically IC system not data as well as system not XML. Oftentimes, when unloading a Windows from application, I will need references to these base classes in the .net framework.

You will also notice that the solution explorer has filed references. I can see my form object but has the CS extension. This is because I am using C#. If I was using a BB, I will see the same form one object, but this time, would have a suffix BB. If I click on this, I can actually see my form and my design surface. If I want to see the code behind the form, here is a tip. Go ahead and hit F7, this will automatically navigate me to the code that resides behind the design surface.

Here is another tip, in order to see all the files that are available in solution explorer, you have this option. Go ahead and select the show all files option, this shows in the hidden directory such as the bin directory which they may use to store some scraps. The solution explorer will contain different files and different references depending on what project you are working with. This will make a lot more sense as we go further along in this series.

So now, let us examine another component called the solution explorer. In order to examine this, we actually have to create a project. In this case, we do not have a project so there is no solution for us to explore. Let us go ahead and create a sample project. Select... click to read more