How to create a class that will be under of a class in solution explorer?

Question

First I created a class file named Bootstrap.cs, then I created another class name Bootstrap.Designer.cs, the awesome part is Bootstrap.Designer.cs become under of first class.

Bootstrap.Designer.cs

So I decide to create another class called Bootstrap.Sample.cs

enter image description here

But the problem here is the third class not become under of first class.

Is there any list of class naming exist like *.Designer.cs that allowed to be under of first class?

If I had to guess; Designer gets special treatment because of its association with Windows Forms — BradleyDotNET, Nov 18 '14 at 23:58
Why not look in the .csproj file and see what's special about Bootstrap.Designer.cs? — John Saunders, Nov 18 '14 at 23:59
@BradleyDotNET So there is no other way to make another class like Designer? — Onel Sarmiento, Nov 18 '14 at 23:59
the `.csproj` file is just an xml file. Open it up with your favorite text editor and take a look! — clcto, Nov 19 '14 at 00:00
The csproj file is in your solution folder (in Windows Explorer) you have to open it outside of VS. — BradleyDotNET, Nov 19 '14 at 00:04
the .csproj is (likely) in the same directory as your other files — MikeH, Nov 19 '14 at 00:04
@BradleyDotNET You can open it inside VS if you unload the project first. — Pierre-Luc Pineault, Nov 19 '14 at 00:04
@Pierre-LucPineault ah; excellent point. I had forgotten about that. — BradleyDotNET, Nov 19 '14 at 00:05

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:57

You can do this using VSCommands plugin for Visual Studio. Simply highlight the two files, right click in Solution Explorer, and choose group.

If you want to do it manually you can right click on your project file in solution explorer, choose Unload Project. Then you can right click and edit the project, which will allow you to see the underlying XML. You're looking for

<Compile Include="yourfilename.cs" />

which you will need to change to

<Compile Include="yourfilename.cs">
   <DependentUpon>parentFile.cs</DependentUpon>
</Compile>

This is described in How to group partial class files in Solution Explorer VS2010

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 19 '14 at 00:08

2

There's a file nesting extension in the Visual Studio gallery that allows you to nest/un-nest files in Solution Explorer. It also lets you set up naming rules so files that conform to certain naming conventions will automatically be nested.

https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/3ebde8fb-26d8-4374-a0eb-1e4e2665070c

answered Nov 19 '14 at 00:08

Craig W.

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Awesome Tool! This is really useful in `vs2013'. – Onel Sarmiento Nov 19 '14 at 00:18

How to create a class that will be under of a class in solution explorer?

2 Answers2