How do you get JavaScript/jQuery Intellisense Working in VS 2008?

Question

I thought JQuery Intellisense was supposed to be improved with SP1. I even downloaded an annotated version of jquery 1.2.6, but intellisense will not work in a separate jscript file. I have the jquery library referenced first on my web page in the tag. Am I doing anything wrong?

Answer 1

At the top of your external js file, add the following:

/// <reference path="jQuery.js"/>

Make sure the path is correct, relative to the file's position in the folder structure, etc.

Also, any references need to be at the top of the file, before any other text, including comments - literally, the very first thing in the file. Hopefully future version of VS will work regardless of where it is in the file, or maybe they will do something altogether different...

Once you have done that and saved the file, hit CTRL+SHIFT+J to force VS to update Intellisense.

Answer 2

You'll want to look at this link:

http://blogs.ipona.com/james/archive/2008/02/15/JQuery-IntelliSense-in-Visual-Studio-2008.aspx

UPDATE: There is a new HotFix for Visual Studio 2008 and a new jQuery Intellisense Documentation file that brings full jQuery Intellisense to VS'08. Below are links to get these two:

http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2008/11/07/hotfix-to-enable-vsdoc-js-intellisense-doc-files-is-now-available.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2008/10/28/rich-intellisense-for-jquery.aspx

Answer 3

There is an officially supported jQuery documentation javascript file for Visual Studio 2008. This file is only an interim fix until MS releases a hotfix that will more adequately address the issue.

Embedded in ASPX:

<% if (false) { %>
<script src="jquery-1.2.6-vsdoc.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<% } %>

Embedded in JS:

/// <reference path="jquery-1.2.6-vsdoc.js" />

Pick it up here: jquery-1.2.6-vsdoc.js

References:

• Rich Intellisense for jQuery
• Scott Hanselman - ASP.Net and jQuery

Answer 4

You shouldn't need to actually reference the "-vsdoc" version. If you put the jquery-1.2.6-vsdoc.js in the same directory as jquery-1.2.6.js then Visual Studio will know to covert a jquery-1.2.6.js reference to jquery-1.2.6-vsdoc.js.

I think that will actually work for any file.

Hmmm... that gives a good workaround for another question on this site...

Edit: This feature only works with VS2008 Service Pack 1.

Answer 5

for inline javascript use:

/// <reference path="~\js\jquery-vsdoc.js"/>

note the BACKslashes.

this will not work:

/// <reference path="~/js/jquery-vsdoc.js"/>

Answer 6

make sure you're not using a minimized jQuery file

Ctrl+Shift+J to make it work after adding js files to the project

Answer 7

If you are including the annotated jquery file in your source solely for intellisense, I recommend leveraging preprocessor directives to remove it from your view when you compile. Ala:

<% #if (false) %>
  <!-- This block is here for jquery intellisense only.  It will be removed by the compiler! -->
  <script type="text/javascript" src="Scripts/jquery-1.3.2-vsdoc.js"></script>
<% #endif %>

Then later in your code you can really reference jQuery. This is handy when using the Google AJAX Libraries API because you get all the benefits Google provides you, plus intellisense.

Here is a sample of using the Libraries API:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/jsapi"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
<script type="text/javascript">
   google.load("jquery", "1.3.2", { uncompressed: false });
</script>

Answer 8

jQuery Intellisense in Visual Studio 2008

Answer 9

If you want to pick up the Intellisense file from the Microsoft CDN you can use:

/// <reference path="http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jQuery/jquery-1.4.1-vsdoc.js" />