General Tab, Options Dialog Box (Visual Web Developer)

These settings allow you to adjust the default view in which Web pages open for editing in the HTML designer.

To access this dialog box

  1. In Visual Web Developer, click Tools, and then click Options.

    The Options dialog box opens.

  2. Click the General node.

Note

This dialog box is displayed if the Show all settings check box is cleared. To see more options for the HTML editor, select the Show all settings check box.

Tasks

UI Elements

Start Pages in

  • Source View
    When this option is selected, the editor initially displays Web pages in Source view, showing the page's markup. For details, see Source View.

  • Design View
    When this option is selected, the editor initially displays Web pages in Design view, showing a WYSIWYG-like view. For details, see Design View.

Source View

  • Auto list members
    When this check box is selected, pop-up lists of valid elements, properties, attributes, or methods are displayed as you edit markup in the Source view editor. Choose any item from the pop-up list to insert it into your markup. For more information, see List Members.

  • Word wrap
    When this check box is selected, any portion of a line that extends horizontally beyond the viewable editor area is automatically displayed on the next line. Selecting this option enables the Show visual glyphs for word wrap check box.

  • Line numbers
    When this check box is selected, a line number appears next to each line in the Source view editor.

    Note

    These line numbers are not added to your markup, and do not print. They are for reference only.

  • Indenting
    Specifies how the editor should indent lines.

    • None   When this option is selected, new lines are not indented. The insertion point is placed in the first column of a new line.

    • Block   When this option is selected, new lines are automatically indented. The insertion point is placed at the same starting point as the preceding line.

    • Smart   This option is not available in Visual Web Developer.

  • Tab size
    Sets the distance between tab stops. The default is four spaces.

  • Indent size
    Sets the size, in spaces, of an automatic indentation. The default is four spaces. Tab characters, space characters, or both will be inserted to fill the specified size.

Miscellaneous

  • Auto show Smart Tag on control creation
    When this check box is selected, Web server controls automatically display a smart tag menu of common commands under two circumstances:

    • When the control is first dragged onto the page from the Toolbox.

    • When the control is selected for the first time after you switch from Source view.

    You can display the smart tag menu by clicking the smart tag symbol or by right-clicking the control and choosing Show Smart Tag.

See Also

Concepts

Editing ASP.NET Web Pages in Visual Web Developer Overview

Reference

Tabs, HTML, Text Editor, Options Dialog Box

Format, HTML, Text Editor, Options Dialog Box

Miscellaneous, HTML, Text Editor, Options Dialog Box

Validation, HTML, Text Editor, Options Dialog Box

Display, HTML Designer, Options Dialog Box

General, HTML Designer, Options Dialog Box

Other Resources

Design View, Web Page Designer

Source View, Web Page Designer