Visual Assist build 2283.2 is available

We strive to release only high-quality builds of Visual Assist, but this latest round required a few attempts to get right. Fortunately, build 2283.2 is worth the wait. It has several, oft-requested improvements.

The dialog for Open File in Solution (Shift+Alt+O), improved just a few months ago, now includes a second edit field that lets you define persistent filters—ones active for all searches—thereby easily hiding extraneous files from the dialog. Display the second edit field via the context menu of the dialog.

Entering filtering strings to persist to all searches. For example, enter “-.moc_” to hide Qt files that begin “moc_”.

If you hide the second edit field, its filters continue to be applied to all searches. You need to empty the edit field to restore default behavior.

Users of Jira issue tracking will be pleased to know build 2283.2 includes a built-in plug-in that makes references to Jira issues in comments active Source Links. If you enable and configure the plug-in, hover over issues that include a Jira keyword to view information about respective issues.

Double-click a link to open an issue in a browser window.

Build 2283.2 also includes Add Forward Declaration, a code-generation command available in headers for pointer and reference members added to class definitions and method declarations. Access the command from the Quick Action and Refactoring menu (Shift+Alt+Q).

Teams that rely on Visual Assist will be happy to know it’s easier to share solution-related settings of Visual Assist in $(SOLUTIONDIR)\.va\. Rules for hiding VA Hashtags are written to .va\user\.vahashtags by default; designated users can maintain the file, then copy it manually to .va\shared\ where it will be read by all users of Visual Assist. And, solution-specific filters for the VA Step Filter can be written to .va\shared\, via setting in the options dialog of Visual Assist, for use by all users.

Build 2283.2 requires software maintenance through 2018.08.02.

Check out the complete list of what’s new in build 2238.2; learn about persistent filtering in OFIS, Jira plug-in, or Add Forward Declaration; or download the installer for build 2283.2.