Forcing the Solution Explorer to select the file in the editor in visual studio 2005

Click on the Tools → Options menu. Select the Projects and Solutions → General option page.

Make sure "Track active item in Solution Explorer" is checked. That should do it.

I like to keep this option turned off (especially when working with a big project), but it's useful to be able to find the file in the tree now and then. I found a way to do this here.

I hope I'm not being too verbose here, but here's the guide to making this work that I wrote for my work's wiki:

1. Go to Tools->Macros->Macro Explorer.
2. In the Macro Explorer tree that comes up, right-click MyMacros, and then New Module....
3. Call the new module SyncItem (if you want).
4. Right-click the new module, then Edit.
5. Paste this into the code window. (I don't know or care if the Imports lines are necessary; they're just there by default.)

code:

Imports System
Imports EnvDTE
Imports EnvDTE80
Imports EnvDTE90
Imports System.Diagnostics

Public Module SyncItem

    Sub SyncSolutionExplorer()
        DTE.ExecuteCommand("View.TrackActivityinSolutionExplorer")
        DTE.ExecuteCommand("View.TrackActivityinSolutionExplorer")
    End Sub

End Module

The macro is most useful if you bind it to a keystroke. Here's how to do that:

1. Go to Tools->Options, then select Environment->Keyboard.
2. Find the new macro in the list (start typing "syncitem" or similar in the search box).
3. I choose Alt-Shift-T (which this dialog box likes to call Shift-Alt-T) for, um, "Tree," I guess? If you're a fan of Edit.LineTranspose, whatever that is (I think it swaps the current line with the following one), then you might like to pick a different shortcut.

1. Navigate to Tools -> Options
2. Select "Projects and Solutions" in the tree view on the left
3. Select "Track Active Item in Solution Explorer"

Tools->Options->Project and Solutions->General

Check the box "Track Active Item in Solution Explorer"