ReSharper 2018.3 Help

Coding Assistance in C++

Most of ReSharper's coding assistance features are also supported in C++. You can find the detailed information on these features in the corresponding topics of the Coding Assistance section. In the main topic of the section, you can also find the feature matrix and check what exactly is supported in C++.

In this topic, you can find some examples of using coding assistance features in C++:

Code completion

Automatic and basic completion

In C++ files, you can use automatic and basic (Ctrl+Space) completion when writing your code. For example, you can quickly add enum members taken from a different namespace:

Automatic completion in C++

Dot/arrow completion helpers

When you call a method, you can always type a dot (.) or an arrow (->) and get all available methods in the completion list. The methods that do not match ./-> are displayed in grey. If you choose such method, the ./-> will be corrected automatically:

Replacing dot with arrow in completion

Generative completion

Generative completion suggestion are also available. For example, when you call a member function declaration on the object...

Generative completion in C++

ReSharper generates the following function:

Generative completion in C++

Postfix completion

Postfix completion in C++ is very much like C# extension methods. If you type a dot (.) or an arrow (->) after an expression, ReSharper will suggest free functions that would accept that expression as the first parameter. When you accept the suggestion, ReSharper will rewrite your code so that the expression is passed as the first argument:

Postfix completion also includes postfix templates which, instead of looking up for suitable methods, let you quickly wrap an expression with frequently used language constructs.

Free functions in code completion

One common C++ coding practice is to prefer non-member non-friend functions to member functions. This is a great way to increase encapsulation and keep class interfaces as minimal as possible. When you type a dot (.) or an arrow (->) after an expression, free functions that accept the expression as the first parameter will be suggested in the completion list after member functions:

If you do not want to have free functions in the completion suggestions, you can clear the corresponding check box on the Code Editing | C++ | Code Completion page of ReSharper options.

Code completion in dependent code

ReSharper automatically uses default template arguments to provide completion suggestions in dependent code. When typing inside a template body, code completion may be unavailable if there is no type information for parameters. However, for template parameters that have default arguments ReSharper will provide completion suggestions based on those default arguments.

ReSharper C++: code completion in dependent code

Syntax highlighting and tooltips

By default, ReSharper provides extended highlighting of C++ syntax with configurable colors. If necessary, you can disable it on the Code Editing | C++ | Inspections page of ReSharper options. There are 20 identifier types that you can highlight differently. You can change colors and fonts at any time in Visual Studio options (Tools | Options | Environment | Fonts and Colors).

Configuring syntax highlighting for C++ identifiers

ReSharper also replaces Visual Studio tooltips for code elements with its own tooltips, which have highlighted syntax, display method and field signatures, formatted XML and Doxygen comments:

Code element tooltip in C++

If necessary, you can disable ReSharper tooltips by clearing the Replace Visual Studio tooltips check box on the Environment | Editor | Editor Appearance page of ReSharper options. Note also that ReSharper tooltips are only available if the syntax highlighting is enabled.

Parameter and namespace name hints

Parameter name hints are editor adornments that show parameter names next to the corresponding arguments at method calls. They can help you find your way through long (and sometimes nested) lists of parameters in function calls and aggregate initialization.
In the example below, parameter name hints help spotting the fact that height and width arguments are mixed up:

ReSharper C++: parameter and namespace name hints

Namespace name hints at the end of namespace definitions could be helpful if you are not following the LLVM or Google guidelines, which suggest adding namespace in a comment after the namespace closing bracket.

There are granular configuration options for parameter and namespace name hints.

Parameter information

Whenever you are writing or studying a function call, ReSharper helps you view details on the allowed arguments for all overloads of the function. In a tooltip, you will see all public signatures with parameters and brief description taken from the function's documentation, if any.

As you are typing parameters, ReSharper automatically highlights the next signature compatible with the entered parameters, and grays out inapplicable signatures. To study alternative signatures of an existing function call, set the caret inside the function's parentheses and then press Ctrl+P or choose ReSharper | Edit | Parameter Information in the main menu.

ReSharper C++: Parameter information

The Parameter info tooltip also provides details about members of the aggregate class when performing aggregate initialization, shows information for user-defined binary operators, deleted functions and implicitly generated functions.
On dependent code, it takes template parameter descriptions from documentation comments for template arguments as well as uses default template arguments to provide information about parameters in the dependent code.

ReSharper C++: Parameter information with dependent code

The Parameter info tooltip is configurable on the Environment | IntelliSense | Parameter Info page of ReSharper options.

Context Actions

ReSharper provides a set of context actions that target C++ code. You can find the full list of these actions in the Code Editing | C++ | Context actions page of ReSharper Options. If necessary, you can also disable some of the actions using this page.

As soon as a context action becomes available for the current caret position, ReSharper displays the corresponding action indicator ThemedIcon ContextAction Screen Gray to the left of the caret. Sometimes however, ReSharper provides several contextually available features for the current caret position. In this case, the action indicator corresponding to the action with the highest priority is shown, and all other actions only appear when you expand the action list by clicking on the action indicator or pressing Alt+Enter Context actions have the lowest priority, therefore, they often appear at the bottom of the action list.

Here are some examples of context actions for C++:

Convert enum to string (generate enum-to-string helper)

This context action generates a helper function for a specific enum that converts its enumerators to corresponding strings.

For example, if you invoke this action on the following enum:

enum class Suit { Diamonds, Hearts, Clubs, Spades };

ReSharper will generate the following function for you:

const char* to_string(Suit e) { switch (e) { case Suit::Diamonds: return "Diamonds"; case Suit::Hearts: return "Hearts"; case Suit::Clubs: return "Clubs"; case Suit::Spades: return "Spades"; default: return "unknown"; } }

If necessary, you can customize generated function by editing the enum_to_string live template that ReSharper uses for generation. For example, you can configure the template to generate stream output operator overload:

std::ostream& operator <<(std::ostream& out, Suit e) { switch (e) { case Suit::Diamonds: return out << "Diamonds"; case Suit::Hearts: return out << "Hearts"; case Suit::Clubs: return out << "Clubs"; case Suit::Spades: return out << "Spades"; default: assert(false); return out << "unknown"; } }

Generate missing case statements

Instead of manually writing all case statements when switching over an enum, you can use the context action that generates all missing case statements:

Generating missing case statements in C++
All you have to do then is to write the required logic for each statement.
Generating missing case statements in C++

Merge nested 'if' statements

ReSharper helps you merge nested 'if' statements with the context action:

Merging nested 'if' statements in C++

Generate implementation

ReSharper helps you automatically create a stub implementation of a function or a method. You can always generate an inline implementation and, if the function is defined in a header file and there is the corresponding source file, you can generate the implementation in the source file.

Generating implementation for a function

Move implementation out of class scope

ReSharper helps you move the implementation of a function or a method from a header to the corresponding source file if it exists. After applying this context action the definition is left in its original place and the implementation is moved to the source file. The editor context is switched to the source file as well.

Moving implementation out of class scope to the source file

You can also use the context action to move all implementations in the current selection.

Document entity

With this context action, you can generate documentation comments for C++ symbols. If necessary, you can customize the comment stub by editing the doc live template that ReSharper uses for generation.

Highlighting paired items

ReSharper highlights various matching items when you set the caret to one item of the pair:

  • Matching delimiters ((), [], {}, and <>)

  • Matching macros, for example, BEGIN_NAMESPACE / END_NAMESPACE

  • Matching format specifier and argument in printf and boost::format

Last modified: 25 April 2019

See Also