Add or link to an existing item (Blend for Visual Studio)

You can use the following procedures to add or remove code files, XML files, DLL files, and any asset files such as images, audio clips, video clips, and so on.

Add existing items

You can add existing items either by using the Add Existing Item command or by using drag and drop.

To add an existing item using the Add Existing Item command

1. On the Project menu, click Add Existing Item.

2. In the Add Existing Item dialog box, browse to the location of the item that you want to add to the current project, select that item, and then click Open. A copy of the item will be added to your project folder and will appear in the Projects panel within the current project.

To add an existing item using drag and drop

• From File Explorer or the Desktop, drag items into the Projects panel. A copy of the item will be added to your project folder and will appear in the Projects panel within the current project.

Link to an existing item

If you are working on a XAML-based app, you can link to an existing item. The Link to Existing Item is not available for HTML projects.

To link to an existing item

1. On the Project menu, click Link to Existing Item.

   Warning

   The Link to Existing Item is not available for HTML projects.

2. In the Link to Existing Item dialog box, browse to the location of the item that you want to add to the current project, select that item, and then click Open. A reference to the item will be added to your project folder and will appear in the Projects panel within the current project. A linked item is identified by an arrow superimposed over the file icon .

Remove or delete an item

You can also remove an item that you added to a project. Using the Remove from Project option only removes the item in the Projects panel. The item is not deleted from the project folder. To permanently delete the item from the project folder, use Delete.

To remove an item from a project

• In the Projects panel, right-click the item that you want to remove, and then select Remove from Project.

To delete an item from a project

• In the Projects panel, right-click the item that you want to remove, and then select Delete.

  Note

  Delete will permanently remove the copy of the item from your project folder, but it won't remove any copies of that item that you may have saved elsewhere on your computer.