Wednesday, 19 March 2008 04:32 by
Bill Henning The latest build of the .NET Languages Add-on released today includes some great new features related to automated IntelliPrompt.
Extension Methods
This build adds IntelliPrompt support for extension methods, a new feature found in C# 3.0 and VB 9.0.
Extension methods allow you to define new methods on existing types without having to sub-class or recompile the original type. This means you can add functionality directly to types for which you don't have source code.
|  The member list displayed for an Int32 parameter, showing how source-defined extension methods are applied |
In the sample above, note the extension method ToStringExt is defined on the static ExtMethodProvider class. In the TestMethod, we press "." to show a member list for its Int32 parameter val and that locates the ToStringExt method, including it in the available members for the Int32 parameter.
Extension methods can be defined in compiled assemblies or in code as above. The most common use of extension methods is with LINQ.
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A member list displayed for a string array variable, showing how extension methods from LINQ's classes have been added to the normal members that appear on an array |
Delegates
The latest build adds IntelliPrompt support for delegates.
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The parameter info tip displayed for a delegate invocation |
EditorBrowsableAttribute Support
Support for recognition of the EditorBrowsable attribute is now available.
|  Note that the member list shows an entry for _AVisibleClass but not for _AnInvisibleClass since that class has EditorBrowsable(Never) applied to it |
When the EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Never) attribute is applied to a type or member, that type or member will no longer appear in member lists.
The attribute is recognized for both assembly-defined and source-defined types and members.