How to: Create types by using Class Designer

  • Article

Applies to: yesVisual Studio noVisual Studio for Mac

Note

This article applies to Visual Studio 2017. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here

To design new types for C# and Visual Basic projects, create them on a class diagram. To see existing types, see How to: View Existing Types.

Create a new type

  1. In the Toolbox, under Class Designer, drag one of these onto a class diagram:

    • Class or Abstract Class

    • Enum

    • Interface

    • Structure (VB) or Struct (C#)

    • Delegate

    • Module (VB only)

  2. Name the type. Then select its access level.

  3. Select the file where you want to add the initial code for the type:

    • To create a new file and add it to the current project, select Create new file and name the file.

    • To add code to an existing file, select Add to existing file.

      If your solution has a project that shares code across multiple apps, you can add a new type to a class diagram in the app project, but only if the corresponding class file is in the same app project or is in the shared project.

  4. Now add other items to define the type:

    For Add
    Classes, abstract classes, structures or structs Methods, properties, fields, events, constructors (method), destructors (method), and constants that define the type
    Enums Field values that make up the enumeration
    Interfaces Methods, properties, and events that make up the interface
    Delegate Parameters that define the delegate
    Module Methods, properties, fields, events, constructors (method), and constants that define the module

    See Creating Members.

Apply a custom attribute to a type

  1. Click the type's shape on a class diagram.

  2. In Properties, next to the Custom Attributes property for the type, click the ellipsis (...) button.

  3. Add one or more custom attributes with one per line. Don't enclose them in brackets.

    The custom attributes are applied to the type.

Apply a custom attribute to a type member

  1. Click the member's name in its type's shape on a class diagram, or its row in the Class Details window.

  2. In Properties, find the member's Custom Attributes property.

  3. Add one or more custom attributes with one per line. Don't enclose them in brackets.

    The custom attributes are applied to the type.

See also