Question

The related default StyleCop rules are:

1. Place using statements inside namespace.
2. Sort using statements alphabetically.
3. But … System using come first (still trying to figure out if that means just using System; or using System[.*];).

So, my use case:

• I find a bug and decide that I need to at least add an intelligible Assert to make debugging less painful for the next guy. So I start typing Debug.Assert( and intellisense marks it in Red. I hover mouse over Debug and between using System.Diagnostics; and System.Diagnostics.Debug I choose the former. This inserts using System.Diagnostics; after all other using statements. It would be nice if VS2010 did not assist me in writing code that won’t build due to warnings as errors.

How can I make VS2010 smarter? Is there some sort of setting, or does this require a full-fledged add-in of some sort?

Answer 1

For 2008, I use the Power Commands add-in. It includes a command to sort and remove unused using statements. I map that to Ctrl-O, Ctrl-R. It’s not automatic, but it’s very quick.

2010 has a Power Commands too, but I think the sort and order using statements stuff is now built in. You just need to set up a shortcut for it.

PS. I do not use Resharper because of the resource overhead. Every time I tell people that it thrashes my hard drive and drives memory usage through the roof, they tell me to “try the latest version – it’s much better now”. Suffice to say, it never has been… I do use CodeRush Xpress though.