ReSharper 2018.1 Help

Code Syntax Style: Modifiers

C# modifiers of types and type members can be written in any order. However, arranging them in a similar way throughout your code is a good practice, which improves code readability. Besides, you may prefer using or not using private and internal modifiers explicitly.

ReSharper helps you arrange modifiers in the existing code and takes your preferences into account when it produces new code with code completion and code generation features, applies code templates and performs refactorings.

Arranging modifiers in existing code

By default, ReSharper suggests to use private and internal modifiers explicitly, and to arrange modifiers in a specific order. If necessary, you can flexibly configure these preferences.

If your code does not comply with these preferences, ReSharper highlights such declarations and suggests the corresponding quick-fix or fix in scope for the order of modifiers:

Sorting modifiers

... for the private modifier:

Fixing implicit private modifier

... and for the internal modifier:

Fixing implicit internal modifier

Another option to enforce all your preferences for modifiers in a bulk mode is code cleanup. You can either run code cleanup with the default profile Default: Full Cleanup or run the cleanup with a custom profile solely targeted at your specific task as described below.

To apply preferences for modifiers with code cleanup

  1. Select ReSharper | Options in the main menu.
  2. Go to the Code Cleanup settings page: Code Editing | Code Cleanup.
  3. Create a new profile as described in the To create a new custom cleanup profile section. In the Selected profile settings section for the new profile tick the Use explicit/implicit modifier for types, Use explicit/implicit modifier for type members, and Sort modifiers check boxes.
  4. Click Save to apply the modifications and let ReSharper choose where to save them, or save the modifications to a specific settings layer using the Save To drop-down list. For more information, see managing and sharing resharper settings.
  5. Select the scope where you want to arrange modifiers:
    • Set the caret anywhere in the file to arrange modifiers to the file.
    • Select one or more items in the Solution Explorer to arrange modifiers in the files under these nodes and their child items.
  6. Do one of the following:
    • Press Ctrl+Alt+F or choose ReSharper | Edit | Cleanup Code from the main menu.
    • Right-click anywhere in the text editor or right-click the selection and choose Cleanup Code in the context menu.
  7. In the Code Cleanup dialog that opens, select the newly created profile.
  8. Click Run. ReSharper will arrange modifiers in the selected scope.

If you want to arrange modifiers without opening the Code Cleanup dialog, you can bind the created profile to the silent cleanup and run it simply by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Alt+F. You can also create a custom cleanup profile that would combine applying attributes style with other code style tasks.

Configuring preferences for modifiers

Your modifiers-related preferences are saved using the mechanism of layer-based settings. Among other things, this mechanism allows you to maintain different preferences for different solutions as well as to keep these preferences under a VCS and automatically share them with your team members.

To configure preferences for modifiers

  1. Go to the Code Editing | C# | Code Style page of ReSharper options.
  2. In the Modifiers category, specify the desired order of modifiers and set the preferences for explicit using of private and internal modifiers.
  3. The Notify with selectors in the right column allow you to set severity levels of code inspections detecting code that differs from your preferences.
  4. Click Save to apply the modifications and let ReSharper choose where to save them, or save the modifications to a specific settings layer using the Save To drop-down list. For more information, see managing and sharing resharper settings.

You can also change your preferences for explicit/implicit use of private and internal modifiers right in the editor, where corresponding issues are highlighted:

To change preference for modifiers in the editor

  1. Set the caret to a code issue highlighted by a ReSharper's inspection.
  2. Press Alt+Enter or click on the action indicator to the left of the caret to open the action list.
  3. In the action list, choose Inspection "Use explicit or implicit modifier definition for types" | Prefer implicit 'internal' modifier :
    Changing the preference for explicit/implicit 'internal' modifier in the editor
  4. Your change will be saved using the smart save logic.
  5. If you need to save the modified style preference in a shared settings layer, click on the Configure code style menu item or press Enter when it is selected. ReSharper will open the Code Editing | C# | Code Style page of ReSharper options where you can modify your preference as needed, click Save To and then choose the desired settings layer.
  6. In a similar way, you can change the preference for explicit/implicit private modifier.
    Changing the preference for explicit/implicit 'private' modifiers in the editor

This feature is supported in the following languages and technologies:

Language: C# Language: VB.NET Language: C++ Language: HTML Language: ASP.NET Language: Razor Language: JavaScript Language: TypeScript Language: CSS Language: XML Language: XAML Language: Resx Language: Build Scripts Language: Protobuf Language: JSON
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Last modified: 20 August 2018

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