Using ClassView

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ClassView shows all the C++ classes for which definitions are available, and the members of those classes. Double-click on a class icon (or click the + symbol beside the icon) to expand the class and display its members.

ClassView uses icons to represent classes, class members, and other items in the project. The following table shows the icons and their meanings:

Icon Meaning
Class
Protected member function
Private member function
Public member function
Protected member variable
Private member variable
Public member variable
Interface
Method (for a COM object)
Property (for a COM object)
Dialog

Visual C++ derives the contents of the ClassView pane using a dynamic parser that scans the source files included in the project workspace. When you type in a new class, variable, or member function, ClassView and WizardBar are now automatically updated without saving.

The relationships in ClassView are logical relationships, not physical relationships, according to the defined class structure. ClassView displays C++ classes for which definitions according to the ANSI standard are available, and the members of those classes. For example, the following code provides both a declaration and a definition for class MyClass, its constructor, and a function, MyFunc(). The class and its two member functions will appear in ClassView.

class MyClass
{
public:
   MyClass();
   void MyFunc(void);
};

For a member to appear in the ClassView list, it must be declared in a header file included in the project.

See Adding a Class for the implications of defining classes and members without the use of the Visual C++ New Class feature.

In ClassView, you can:

See Also   Using WizardBar, Using ClassWizard