This extension features some UI improvements. Some of them are useful, some of them are … special.
The useful ones
Sourcecode windows can now be undocked from the UI and docked to a different monitor (a behaviour common to tool windows). For me as someone who doesn’t want tool windows to float around but stay on their designated UI position, this is a great step. Now it’s possible to have the UI layout that I’m used to and also sourcecode windows in fullscreen.
The Solution Navigator adds some functionality to the Solution Explorer. With the Navigator you can expand source files to see the classes within and expand the classes to see the members. Doubleclick then leads to the chosen class/member. Also it is possible to search the references menu when you want to add a new one.
The special ones
Imports can be sorted on mouseclick and unused imports deleted. But why is there no possibility to “Fix Imports”, i.e. automatically find and add missing references and imports? Netbeans already gave me that option years ago.
Even worse: the Enhanced Scrollbar. On mouseover you now get a snippet of the code where the mouse points to. If you want to scroll the code this way you have to stick to the scrollbar while moving the cursor, a game of dexterity. There is also the possibility of a broader scrollbar with the sourcecode displayed as a miniature (font size 0.5 or so). I’m a fan of clever visualizations, but that one is pointless.
Middle-Click Scrolling is ok if you are used to that, but I don’t know anyone who uses such a functionality extensively.
Conclusion
Besides the useless parts this is a must-have extension. I wonder why it’s not integrated from the start. Undocking sourcecode windows is a big gain, as is the solution navigator. Customizing features is easy, so you can deactivate the stuff you don’t like.
For Microsofts Productivity Power Tools download page click here.
