C++ syntax highlighting for Visual Studio 2008?

Question

I just want to see my own datatypes/functions/function parameters with a different color.

I have used Visual Assist X before, but it stopped working for some unknown reason. It doesn't color the custom functions or function parameters every time. Also, my trial time is over soon, and I am not going to buy something that doesn't work properly or whose most features I don't even use.

So, if there's any free syntax highlighting that colors all functions, etc. for Visual Studio 2008, that's what I'm looking for.

Answer 1

To color your own data structures, functions and parameters, a highlighter should know that they are your own data structures, functions and parameters. It means it should be able to parse C++ code. But, C++ code parsing is extremely hard task, so no one will do that just to highlight a couple of words. So, this may be just an associated feature of some powerful tool that definitely costs money.

Actually, it seems there are just some problems with your environment. I use Visual Assist X with Visual Studio 2003, 2005 and 2008 and it works like a charm!

I'd recommend proceeding with Visual Assist X if you are serious about MS VC++ programming. Actually, it is a must have tool as, say, ReSharper for CSharpers.

Answer 2

If you have the option to use Visual Studio 2010, there is Highlighterr, which changes the colors of classes, structs, macros and typedefs. There doesn’t appear to be a version for Visual Studio 2008, but what are you waiting for? ;-) C++0X awaits…

Answer 3

You can create a file(usertype.dat) containing any names, these will be colored differently.

You can read more about that here

Unfortunately you can't give your different types different colors from there but at least you can get your own types colored.