March 3, 2009 - Mike Makuch

Updated for VS 2008

July 18, 2007 - Mike Makuch

CodeWinPos is a plugin (vsip) for Visual Studio 2005 which opens .h files on the left half of the IDE workspace and .c/.cpp files on the right. It works with either the tabbed or MDI window layout options in the VS2005 IDE.

The project was completed in ~ March 2007 and I have been using it daily since then without encountering any bugs.

You may download the single install file or the source.

CodeWinPos may be removed by invoking the uninstall routine via the Control Panel Add/Remove programs.

This plugin is an aid in an effort to use the mouse as little as possible. I use this along with another plugin which with a single CTRL-key stroke switches between .h and .cpp files. If you like CodeWinPos you might like vi for VS2005: ViEmu.

When CodeWinPos is enabled all .h files are opened on the left with same position and size. Likewise for .c/.cpp files on the right.

Original project specs:

The product is a Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Integration Package (using Visual Studio SDK) which will allow the user (a developer) to have automatic control over the position of code windows when opened.

Problem: Standard Visual Studio opens code windows in either a) the currently selected tab group if "Tabbed documents" is selected or b) cascading style if "Multiple documents" is selected. Using the tabbed style at least the windows are sized consistently, but there's no consistency as far as .Hs on the left and .Cs on the right. With the MDI/cascading option you're left with having to size and position code windows with the mouse every time you open them. I find it entirely cumbersome to have to reach for the mouse when I don't have to.

Desired behavior with product installed: If "Tabbed documents" is selected then ".h" files will open in the left tab group and ".cpp" files will open in the right tab group. If "Multiple documents" is selected then ".h" files will open in the left half of the MDI workspace and ".cpp" files will be opened in the right half of the MDI workspace.

Status: Complete.

Click here for transcript of development.