CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#version-controlwindows-forms-designer
DigitalMan
DigitalMan

Reputation: 2540

Recover code deleted by Visual C# Form Designer?

So, I made a program in Visual C# 2010 Express. Finished enough to work, and pretty darned good for my first attempt at the language. But then I foolishly decided, "Hey, this program needs a close confirmation dialog before I send it out!" So I write the function, and then I go into the auto-generated code to bind said function appropriately.

KABOOM!

Now, the form designer shows a blank form, and all those shiny components have all been erased from both the designer and the auto-generated code. Which, in such a simple program, is about 80% of the work I put into it.

Now, in NetBeans, I would right-click the file's tab, and just go back to a previous version, maybe losing about 15 minutes of work. This is a pretty obvious concept, I'm just not sure where to find file history in Visual Studio. So, where is the equivalent so I can get my work back?

(I've also managed to get my code back by just undoing a whole bunch - but the designer doesn't see it, and neither does the compiler, so it still builds to a blank form.)

Upvotes: 1

Views: 7192

Answers (7)

Steevan
Steevan

Reputation: 11

I fixed it by viewing my older commit and reverting the changes to that file. If I didn't have that I could make everything again from scratch.

Upvotes: 0

MDMoore313
MDMoore313

Reputation: 3311

In the code behind file click 'undo', not in the designer window. Accept the warning, and when the code comes back, the form should be back to normal, Visual Studio 2015.

Upvotes: 0

bgmCoder
bgmCoder

Reputation: 6371

One thing you could do, it won't help you this time, but may be a good idea for the future - if you copy your code alot (like I do), get one of those clipboard savers - like ClipTrap (which is lightweight, simple, and great).

Then, if you realize you can't undo what you did, then you get a second chance by running through the "trapped" text to see if what you want might just be there.

Another good option is to try something like AutoVer, which will save a copy of any changed file (or files in a folder) every so often as you like. This could provide you with a backup of your codefile, or even the entire project - every five minutes, or every minute as long as something has been changed. Awesome program. This is a certain fashion of source control, or at least source backup.

(And no I'm not the authour of either application)

However, for your particular problem, if the code is still there in your designer.cs page - maybe you just erased a reference or a namespace. Make sure the namespace matches, and make sure your in your form's code file, that the InitializeComponent(); function is being called (that's what places all the designer's controls onto the form, you know).

Upvotes: 0

RobRdam
RobRdam

Reputation: 31

I had a similar effect: the code wasn't lost because the project compiled perfectly but I only got a blank form in designer.

This was because the form was inherited from another form, and I added in the Load event of the base form the line: this.MdiParent = Application.OpenForms("BaseForm");

After deleting this line (and recompiling) I could access the design of the descendig forms again.

Upvotes: 1

sree ranjith c.k
sree ranjith c.k

Reputation: 81

Actually the controls are not lost from Design code or Initialize Component() ,make sure that whether check

Initialize Component() { this.controls.add("Where the control was ") }

Example: 1-this.Controls.Add(this.panel1.label1); 2-this.Controls.Add(this.panel1.label2);

either in form you can write like below

should write in the Initialize Component()

 this.Controls.Add(this.label1);

Upvotes: 1

dylansweb
dylansweb

Reputation: 684

From the sound of it, I'd say you tried ctrl-z until some point in your code, but not in the designer?

Performing multiple "undo's" in the code-behind file where you put your code is one thing, performing "undo's" in the designer is another.

Hopefully, you have not closed visual studio yet, and viewing your now blank form in design view, and trying a bunch of ctrl-z presses there, might do the trick.

Upvotes: 2

Dave Markle
Dave Markle

Reputation: 97671

Sadly, you've just learned a couple of things.

One is to never, ever modify designer-generated code. In fact, C# has a concept called partial classes which allow you to modify a generated class without having to modify the generated file.

Second, that Visual Studio in and of itself has no built in source code control -- you need to choose the one you like and be diligent in using it. Some of the most popular are git, subversion, mercurial, and Team Foundation Server. I personally use svn, but the others are good too. Avoid something called Visual SourceSafe (VSS).

Upvotes: 2

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