Visual Studio blocks the UI for minutes at a time for C++/XAML file

Question

Every time I view my XAML file, Visual Studio hangs for several minutes (the UI is blocked completely). I'm working with a DirectX/C++ project with a XAML wrapper (using SwapChainBackgroundPanel).

What I've tried:

• Using the Windows::ApplicationModel::DesignMode::DesignModeEnabled condition in the code behind
• Using XAML mode only (not split view or design mode)
• Lighting myself on fire

The hanging persists. I'm so desperate that I've resorted to using Notepad++ to edit this one file, but then I don't have Visual Studio to catch my dumb typos.

Is there any imaginable way around this?

Answer 1

first of all try this. Also I recommend to disable design view default for XAML files in options:
Tools -> Options... -> Text Editor -> XAML -> Misc -> Always open documents in full XAML view.

FYI: this recommendations made my VS2012 faster.

Answer 2

Well, I don't know what was causing this, but subsequent experiences with VS2012 have taught me a likely culprit. (And Michael alluded to this in his answer.) The XAML designer spawns multiple processes, each of which are unfathomable memory hogs. I have taken to offing these so-called "XDesProc.exe" via the Task Manager, with extreme prejudice.