Editing Features

The Visual Studio extension includes the following features to make it easier to edit feature files and identify which steps have already been bound.

Note

Many of the formatting behaviors can be controlled by an EditorConfig file and the ide section of the reqnroll.json config file.

Gherkin Syntax Highlighting

Various default styles have been defined for the Gherkin syntax. You can customize these colors in Visual Studio’s settings (Tools | Options | Environment | Fonts and Colors). The names of the corresponding Display items in the list begin with “Reqnroll”.

In addition to highlighting keywords, comments, tags etc., unbound steps and parameters in feature files are highlighted when editing the file in Visual Studio. The following syntax highlighting is used by default:

• Purple: unbound steps

• Black: bound steps

• Red: parameters in bound steps

You can thus tell immediately which steps in a feature file have been bound.

Note

A project must be built for syntax highlighting to update.

IntelliSense (auto-completion) for Keywords and Steps

IntelliSense makes Reqnroll easy to use when integrated with Visual Studio. IntelliSense uses find-as-you-type to restrict the list of suggested entries.

Gherkin Files

IntelliSense is available in feature files for the following:

• Gherkin keywords (e.g. Scenario, Given etc.)

• Existing steps are listed after a Given, When or Then statement, providing quick access to your current steps definitions.

Note

Note that all the step definitions that match the current type (Given, When, Then) are displayed initially, but the list can be filtered by typing additional keywords.

Outlining and Comments in Feature Files

Most of the items in the Edit menu work well with Reqnroll feature files, for example:

• You can comment and uncomment selected lines (# character) with the default shortcut for comments (Ctrl+K Ctrl+C/Ctrl+K Ctrl+U) or from the menu

• You can use the options in the Edit | Outlining menu to expand and contract sections of your feature files

Table Formatting

Tables in Reqnroll are also expanded and formatted automatically as you enter column names and values:

Formatted table

Document Formatting

Document formatting is also available. It automatically re-indents code and fixes blank lines, comments, etc.

You can find this option under Edit->Advanced->Format document or alternatively use the Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D shortcut:

Format document

Below is a feature file document which is not indented correctly:

Unformatted document

After the Format Document command:

Formatted document

Note

The formatting behavior can be controlled by an EditorConfig file and the ide section of the reqnroll.json config file.

Renaming Steps

You can globally rename steps and update the associated step definitions automatically. To do so:

1. Open the feature file containing the step.

2. Right-click on the step you want to rename and select Rename from the context menu.

3. Enter the new text for the step in the dialog and confirm with OK.

4. Your step definitions and all feature files containing the step are updated.

Note

Step Rename is an experimental feature. It only works for those step methods that do not have parameters.