How to locate a file in Solution Explorer in Visual Studio 2010?

user_248827 0
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I have a huge solution with multiple projects. Sometime I need to navigate to a file in Solution Explorer. Using the VS 2010 'Navigate To' feature I can open any file by name in Visual Studio 2010 but I want to be able to select the file in Solution Explorer as well?

keyboard-shortcuts visual-studio-2010 visual-studio
15 Answers

I found the track option to be a little annoying.

I prefer to use DPack. It contain "Locate In Solution Explorer" operation, plus many other features (some are less powerful in VS2010, like their browsers), and it's free.

Note that ReSharper also have the locate feature that works batter than DPack's (in some cases, DPack's locate won't work if the file is collapsed behind folders), but you don't want to buy ReSharper only for this feature.

user_1336650

I know its little too late, but hope it helps someone else. The best option now is to install Microsoft Visual Studio add on called - Productivity Power Tools.

http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/d0d33361-18e2-46c0-8ff2-4adea1e34fef

With this comes "Solution Navigator" (alternative to Solution Explorer, with a lot of benefits) - which then you can use to filter the files to only show "Open". You can even filter files to show "Edited" and "Unsaved".

user_8930790

There are several build-in ways you can accomplish this nowadays:

  1. Configure VS to track the active item in Solution Explorer: This can be accomplished by selecting "Track active item in Solution Explorer" at

Tools > Settings > Projects and Solutions > General

enter image description here

  1. Use "Sync with active document": This can be accomplished in 2 ways.

    • Firing the SolutionExplorer.SyncWithActiveDocument command by using the default key combination CTRL+]+S

      CTRL+)+S if you happen to be using an AZERTY keyboard like me.

    • By using the "Sync with active document" button on top of the Solution Explorer. The button looks like 2 apposing arrows on top of each other.

      If you're version is older then VS2019 Version 16.10.2 then this button looks like this:
      enter image description here

      From VS2019 Version 16.10.2 onwards this button will look like this:
      enter image description here

user_60223520

Visual Studio doesn’t offer an easy way to locate the current file you’re editing in the Solution Explorer on demand. You can set the solution explorer to always stay in sync with this simple setting:

Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions > General. Check “Track active item in Solution Explorer”.

Thanks to Cory House

user_133210790
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