Import/Export Settings

Yes. Now in Visual Studio 2005, you can export the settings you use in the IDE to a file (*.vssettings) using the Import/Export Settings dialog box. Later you can import that file on other computers.

If you make any change in the setting, Visual Studio will track such changes and it will automatically save the settings to currentsettings.vssettings along with the predefined settings in the folder: %USER_DOCUMENTS%\Visual Studio\Settings\VisualStudio\8.0\CurrentSettings.vssettings.

If you edit that file in Notepad, you can see an XML file like this which stores all the editor settings.

One thing you have to be aware that some settings categories can contain information about you or your computer that might be a security concern if you share your settings with others.

Import/Export Settings Dialog Box:



While you are installing VS 2005, you are asked whether you want a C#, VB, C++, web or general developement settings as shown in the figure below. According to your selection, it will modify the IDE accordingly. Of course you can change that later, if you wish!