What's the fastest way to get the info I need from MSDN?

Question

In PHP, if I need info on a function I can just type http://php.net/function-name. If the function doesn't exist it performs a search of all functions. The documentation for every function is usually 1 page long and contains all relevant info needed (params, return types, sample code, comments, special cases).

When I search for something on MSDN it usually takes 2-3 clicks before I can even get to what I was looking for.

Since I spend a good amount of time trying to extract very basic information from MSDN, is there a website or service that condenses this information for quicker easier access?

For example, I know for Java there is http://javadocs.org/ which makes it easier to find documentation (http://javadocs.org/Color redirects to http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/java/awt/Color.html)

Does anything like this exist already? Thanks.

Answer 1

I find it much easier to use google and just type in something like "msdn [what I am looking for]". It tends to come up with better results than trying to fiddle my way through MSDN's website.

Answer 2

Use Google and specify site:msdn.microsoft.com

http://www.google.com/search?q=system.net.mail+site%3Amsdn.microsoft.com

Note: I also use this method to search SO -- Google using site:stackoverflow.com

Answer 3

google ==> site:msdn.microsoft.com + keyword :)

there even is a custom google search for that:

MSDN Search (or short url: http://bit.ly/msdnsearch)

Answer 4

I asumme you use Visual Studio. So if you want to find out something about ClassX for example, just place the cursor on it, and press F1.

If I do this on the FileInfo class in Visual Studio, I get http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.fileinfo.aspx.

Answer 5

1. Ask StackOverflow
2. Use Google

Note that using the search box in MSDN isn't even in most people's answers.

Answer 6

MSDN Developer Library is vast; I agree that can be cumbersome to find things manually, so I don't bother.

In fact, usually if you just specify the function name, Google will list MSDN on the first two or three options.

Answer 7

Use an Open Search plug-in for your browser. Like these ones. IE7, Fire Fox (and I think) Chrome use these. Chrome's implementation integrates with the address box, whereas Fire Fox and IE have a specific search dialogue in the top corner.

Answer 8

As others have said, MSDN falls into the category of sites of which it can be said: "Google searches X better than X searches X". Notable peers include Wikipedia and StackOverflow.

To make using google easier, google will allow you create custom search engines that are not only limited to searching within a specific site, but also allow you set up other requirements. For example, if you click on my name to see my SO user profile, you'll see I have MSDN and StackOverflow search links in the box at top right. I don't have it working just yet, but eventually I'll have the StackOverflow search setup to only return questions pages and exclude the user pages or tag pages.

That said, one thing you're missing is that when you're using a Microsoft language, you're probably also using Visual Studio. And if that is the case, the intellisense hints have the information you need 90% of the time. So in that sense it's even better than php, because you don't even need to open a web browser.

Answer 9

MSDN uses the following URL format for the most recent version of the documentation:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/[Namespace.Class.Etc].aspx

In Firefox, you can create a bookmark of the form:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/%s.aspx

Give it a Keyword, i.e. "msdn" and then type in your location bar:

msdn system.web.ui.webcontrols

And FF will take you to:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.aspx

Chrome will also let you set up a search like this, and you can also create a custom search provider for Internet Explorer using the test url:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/TEST.aspx

Answer 10

There is also the little known ...

http://www.google.com/microsoft.html

... not MSDN specific, but it works. :)