VS2019

[zpqrtbnk]

Opening this so we can discuss.

This extension is my favorite way to have an overview of all the projects I am working on. I am not aware of any other equivalent extension, apart from BetterStartPage which is however quite similar.

So... with VS2019 nearing release, I thought I would just make sure SolutionStartPage can run on VS2019 and submit a PR. However... VS2019 is killing the Start Page and is replacing it with a new Start Window - and although at some point (see this post) it might have been possible to re-enable the Start Page... in the latest VS2019 preview the option seems to be entirely gone.

Which means that... SolutionStartPage cannot be simply ported to VS2019. And so... can we discuss what other solutions we could find to still offer the same features? Extension menu? Toolbox?

[Herdo]

Sadly, I had a talk with one of the product managers of Visual Studio, and presented them this extension back then. They liked the option of providing a "favorite" list of projects/solutions, but aparently it didn't make it into the release. They rather went for the old "pinning" of items.

So we could either have a follow up with them, asking them to add a built-in feature (which everyone would welcome), or we do a workaround.

The only workaround I can think of right now is having a tool window, which may be linked to a keyboard shortcut, which will then open the "Favorite Projects Dialog". So that one could show up in the menu bar, but the keyboard shortcut "trigger" will be the more likely way to open it?

[zpqrtbnk]

Short term, it looks like a workaround is the way to go. Guess having a tool window, that would fold somewhere like the solution explorer does, would be the way to go.

[Herdo]

@zpqrtbnk A vote here might help: https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/idea/531110/allow-cutomization-or-extension-of-the-new-start-w.html

[zpqrtbnk]

Voted!

[zpqrtbnk]

Well, this situation was annoying, everyday, and it looks like MS is not going to fix it anytime soo. Thus, I have quickly put together SolutionBook (also on GitHub). Probably not as polished as yours, but it works for me and I use it everyday now. Feel free to comment, improve, criticize, anything really ;-)

And THANKS for the amazing extension that I've used for years and made my life simpler EVERY SINGLE DAY!

[Herdo]

@zpqrtbnk Thanks for that work, and that nice story in the readme 😄
The issue on the community portal will be 90 days under review at the end of July.
We should have a look then, what Microsoft will do.
There's not only that issue, but a lot... hopefully they change something.