Daniel Cazzulino's Blog : VS2005 XML Editor rocks! Navigating type definitions from instance documents!

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VS2005 XML Editor rocks! Navigating type definitions from instance documents!

Today, I was working on some GAXsoftware factory stuff. I just couldn't remember if a particular element I had at hand in an instance document supported xs:anyAttribute or not in the corresponding schema. So I though "how handy it would be if I could press F12 (Go to Definition) and be taken to the schema for it". I tried it:

XmlEditorGoToDefinition.png

Imagine my surprise when I saw:

XmlEditorGoToDefinition2.png

Quite unexpected for me, I was presented with the XSD for the document with the relevant element definition focused under the cursor! Now, the element happens to he a ref to the definition which is somewhere else. So I thought "how handy it would be if I could press F12 and be taken to the definition of that referenced element". I tried it:

XmlEditorGoToDefinition3.png

And I was inmediately taken to:

XmlEditorGoToDefinition4.png

Simply amazing. I didn't know about this feature. What's more, you can use Ctrl+[minus sign] to navigate back, just like you do when you F12 to definitions in any code window.

Impressive job, XML team. Thank again!!!!!!

posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 8:36 PM by kzu

# VS2005 XML Editor rocks! Navigating type definitions from instance documents! @ Thursday, June 08, 2006 9:00 PM

Note: this entry has moved.
Today, I was working on some GAX software factory stuff. I just couldn't...

Anonymous

# VS 2005 Xml Editor Coolness @ Monday, June 12, 2006 8:50 AM

Kzu has a top tip for the Xml Editor in Visual Studio 2005.
F12 for “Go to definition” works in instance...

Anonymous

# Quickie: navigating XML metadata in VS2005 @ Wednesday, June 28, 2006 2:02 PM

Dan Cazzulino writes about the joy he found in navigating to and through XSD from an instance document...

Anonymous