Find Symbol Command

Searches for objects (namespaces, classes, structures, interfaces, types, enums, and so forth) and their members (properties, methods, events, variables, constants, enum items, and so forth) in the current scope.

Edit.FindSymbol symbolname [/word | /prefix | /substring]
[/case | /nocase] [/refs | /norefs]

Edit.QuickFindSymbol symbolname 

Arguments

  • symbolname
    Required. The canonical name of the object or member to find.

Switches

  • /word or /w
    Optional. Searches only for whole words. This switch supersedes /prefix and /substring if they are also specified.

  • /prefix or /p
    Optional. Specifies that the search returns symbols that begin with the string in objectname. This switch supersedes /substring if both are specified.

  • /substring or /s
    Optional. Specifies that the search returns symbols that contain the string objectname.

  • /case or /c
    Optional. Matches occur only if when the uppercase and lowercase characters exactly match those specified in the objectname argument. This switch supersedes /nocase if both are specified.

  • /nocase or /nc
    Optional. Matches occur independent of case.

  • /refs or /r
    Optional. Specifies that referenced components are included in the symbol search. This switch supersedes /norefs if both are specified.

  • /norefs
    Optional. Specifies that referenced components are not included in the symbol search.

Remarks

Switches that are not defined default to the current settings on the Find Symbol tab of the Find and Replace window. Executing a command line search does not change the options specified on the Find Symbol tab.

The Edit.QuickFindSymbol command is identical to the Edit.FindSymbol command except that it always uses the options as they are currently set on the Find Symbol tab without displaying the Find and Replace window.

Example

The first example searches for the substring "cRefs" matching case and including references as if you had used the Find Symbol tab of the Find and Replace window with the Match Case and Look In References search options selected.

>Edit.FindSymbol cRefs /substring /case

Both of these examples search for "CMyClass" using the options specified on the Find Symbol tab of the Find and Replace window.

>Edit.FindSymbol CmyClass
>Edit.QuickFindSymbol CMyClass

See Also

Tasks

How to: View and Alter the Browsing Scope

Reference

Find Symbol, Find and Replace Window

Command Window

Find/Command Box

Visual Studio Commands with Arguments

Predefined Visual Studio Command Aliases