Can I have a macro run whenever I save a file in Visual Studio 2005?

Question

When I save a file in Visual Studio 2005, I'd like to have a macro also run that updates a copyright (through a regular expression search and replace).

I'm not new to regular expressions, but I am new to VB/VBA and Visual Studio macros, so what I need help with specifically is:

1. getting a macro to run upon save, preferably after I press CTRL-S but before it actually writes the file so that the results of the search and replace are actually saved without having to save twice

2. calling search and replace for a regular expression from inside the VB/VBA macro

Thanks, Mark

Answer 1

You can record, rename, and assign a macro. Here's what I did.

1. Menu: /Tools/Macros/Record Temporary Macro
2. [ctrl][shift][h] - brings up the solution wide search and replace
3. Under find options in this dialog select regular expressions. Note these will be slightly different in syntax than what you find in System.Text.RegularExpressions.
4. [alt] then [F] then [L] – File save all
5. Open the macro editor with Menu: /tools/macros/macro explorer
6. Right click the temporary macro to edit.
7. In the Project Explorer of this macro right click to rename the temporary macro and save
8. Assign to a key combination: Here’s a link to assign it to a key combination http://www.helixoft.com/blog/archives/8

So the idea is you can record something that is almost what you want. Then tweak it, and assign it to a key combination. Definitely try your regex first and note that there will be a dialog interrupting you if anything in your solution is read-only.