Every time you start Visual Studio, the first time you click ‘Add Reference’ to add a DLL reference to a project, by default, the .NET tab on that dialog box is selected. As most people reading this have probably noticed, it can take a long time — often more than 30 seconds — for the full list of .NET components to fill in.
Because of the way we’re designing our solutions, though, about 80% of the time, I want to select either from the ‘Projects’ tab or from the ‘Browse’ tab.
Is there a setting anywhere in Visual Studio that will let me make ‘Projects’ be the first tab that loads up? Does anyone know any other, hidden tricks to accomplish the same effect?
I use this tip to do this in a different way. Open your Object Browser (Cntrl + Alt + J). Change Browse dropdown to ‘My Solution’. Select the project you want. On Toolbar, click ‘Add to References in Selected Project in Solution Explorer’.
A neat work around which has saved me many hours.