Add-In: DTE2.Windows collection doesn't contain all windows?

Question

I'm writing an add-in in Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2, C#, .NET 4.0.  I am trying to hide all but a few windows in the IDE, in a specific situation.  I have created a new WindowConfiguration, and Apply()'d it, and I'm then trying to enumerate all the windows and .Close() them.

I have tried enumerating using the DTE2.Windows collection, as well as the IEnumWindowFrames method, but there only seems to ever be these windows by default: Start Page, Solution Explorer, Class View, Object Browser, Find and Replace.

The Server Explorer is part of a tab that is hidden by default.  If I activate that tab, then the Server Explorer is included in the Windows collection.  It seems VS is loading windows on demand, which is nice, but it leaves me with a problem.  I want to be able to hide the tabs that represent windows, whether the window has been loaded or not.

Is there a way to enumerate all the windows in the IDE that are either visible or may be hiding with a tab , or is there a way to access the tabs and hide them?

Thanks

Answer 1

No you can't do this through DTE.    DTE will only enumerate the tools that have been loaded.    Delay loaded components will not appear in the list.   I assume that you are doing this in a macro.     If you are able to use Dev10 interfaces you can use IVsUIShell4.GetWindowEnum( WINDOWFRAMETYPE_Tool | WINDOWFRAMETYPE_AllStates, ...) to enumerate all tools even those that have not yet been created.

Answer 2

Not a macro, this is an add-in.  IVsUIShell4.GetWindowEnum looks like it may be what I'm looking for.  Will check it out and report back.  Thanks

Answer 3

That was what I was looking for.  I was able to remove the tabs for tool windows I didn't want and show the ones I wanted.  I did have to Show() prior to setting the FrameMode to Dock though, for some reason.