How to: Edit XML Files

The XML Editor is the new editor for XML files. It can be used on a stand-alone XML file, or on a file associated with a Visual Studio project. The XML Editor is associated with the following file extensions: .config, .dtd, .xml, .xsd, .xdr, .xsl, .xslt, and .vssettings. The XML Editor is also associated with any other file type that has no specific editor registered, and that contains XML or DTD content.

To edit an XML file

• Double-click the file you want to edit.

To add a new XML file to a project

1. From the Project menu, select Add New Item.

2. Select XML File from the Templates pane.

3. Enter the filename in the Name field and press Add.

   The XML file is added to the project and opened in the XML Editor. The file contains the default XML declaration, <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>.

To add an existing XML file to a project

1. From the Project menu, select Add Existing Item.

   The Add Existing Item dialog box appears.

2. Select an XML file and press Add.

To create a new XML or XSLT file

1. From the File menu, select New.

   The New File dialog box appears.

2. Select XML File to create a new XML file; or, select XSLT File to create a new XSLT style sheet.

3. Click Open.

To create a project for XML files

1. From the File menu, select New, and then select Project.

   The New Project dialog box appears.

2. Select the code language of your choice, select Empty Project, and click OK.

3. Add XML files to the project.

   The XML Editor finds the schemas you add to this project and uses them for validation and IntelliSense in any XML, schema, or XSLT files that you edit while this project is open.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Create an XML Schema from an XML Document

Reference

XML Document Properties, Properties Window

Concepts

XML Editor