The Project Explorer is the user interface on to the CrossWorks Project System. The project explorer organizes your projects and files and provides access to the commands that operate on them. A tool bar at the top of the window offers quick access to commonly used commands for the selected project node or the active project. A right click menu offers a larger set of commands and will work on the selected project node, ignoring the active project.

The selected project node affects the operations that you can perform. For example the Compile operation will compile a single file if a file project node is selected, if a folder project node is selected then each of the files in the folder are compiled.

You can select project nodes by clicking on them in the project explorer. Additionally as you switch between files in the editor, the selection in the project explorer changes to highlight the file that you're currently editing.

Showing the Project Explorer

To activate the Project Explorer if it is hidden, do one of the following:

—or—

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Left click operations

The following operations are available in the project explorer with the left click of the mouse:

Action Description
Single Click Select the project node. If the project node is already selected and is a solution, project or folder node then an a rename editor is shown.
Double Click Double click on a solution node or folder node will open/close the node. Double click on a project node and it is set as the active project. Double click on a file and it will be opened using the default editor for the file type.

Tool bar operations

The following operations are available on the tool bar:

Button Description
Adds a new file to the active project using the New File dialog.
Adds existing files to the active project.
Removes files, folders, projects, and links from the project.
Creates a new folder in the active project.
Drop down menu that provides the following build operations:
  • Compile the selected file.
  • (Batch) Build the active project in current/batch build configuration.
  • (Batch) Rebuild the active project in current/batch build configuration.
  • (Batch) Clean the active project in current/batch build configuration.
  • (Batch) Build the solution in current/batch build configuration.
  • (Batch) Rebuild the solution in current/batch build configuration.
  • (Batch) Clean the solution in current/batch build configuration.
Disassembles the active project.
Sets project explorer options:
  • Show code and data size in the project explorer.
  • Show header file dependencies on compiled file nodes.
  • Show the output files of project and file nodes.
  • Show the sort indicator.
  • Show the source code control status of files.
Displays the properties dialog for the selected item.

Right click menu operations

The following operations are available on the right click menu:

Solution node menu entries
(Batch) Build Build all projects under the solution in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Rebuild Rebuild all projects under the solution in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Clean Remove all output and intermediate build files for the projects under the solution in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Export Build Create an editor with the build commands for the projects under the solution in the current/batch build configuration.
Add New Project Add a new project to the solution.
Add Exising Project Create a link from an existing solution to this solution.
Add To Favourites Add the project file to the favourites window.
Paste Paste a copied project into the solution.
Remove Remove the link to another solution from the solution.
Rename Rename the solution node.
Source Control Operations Source control operations on the project file and recursive operations on all files in the solution.
Edit Solution As Text Create an editor containing the project file.
Save Solution As Change the filename of the project file - note that the saved project file is not reloaded.
Properties Show the properties dialog with the solution node selected.
Project node menu entries
(Batch) Build Build the project in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Rebuild Build the project in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Clean Remove all output and intermediate build files for the project in the current/batch build configuration.
(Batch) Export Build Create an editor with the build commands for the project in the current/batch build configuration.
Link Perform the project node build operation:
  • link for an Executable project type.
  • archive for a Library project type.
  • the combine command for a Combining project type.
Set As Active Project Set the project to be the active project.
Debugging Commands For Executable and Externally Built Executable project types the following debugging operations are available on the project node:
  • Start Debugging.
  • Step Into Debugging.
  • Reset And Debug.
  • Start Without Debugging.
  • Attach Debugger.
  • Verify.
Memory Map Commands For Executable project types that don't have memory map files in the project and have the memory map file project property set there are commands to view the memory map file and to import the memory map file into the project.
Section Placement Commands For Executable project types that don't have section placement files in the project and have the section placement file project property set there are commands to view the section placement file and to import the section placement file into the project.
Target Processor For Executable and Externally Built Executable project types that have a Target Processor property group the selected target can be changed.
Add New File Add a new file to the project.
Add Exising File Add an existing file to the project.
New Folder... Create a new folder in the project.
Cut Cut the project from the solution.
Copy Copy the project from the solution.
Paste Paste a copied folder or file into the project.
Remove Remove the project from the solution.
Rename Rename the project.
Source Control Operations Source control recursive operations on all files in the project.
Find in Project Files... Run find in files in the project directory.
Properties Show the properties dialog with the project node selected.
Folder node menu entries
Add New File Add a new file to the folder.
Add Exising File Add an existing file to the folder.
New Folder... Create a new folder in the folder.
Cut Cut the folder from the project/folder.
Copy Copy the folder from the project/folder.
Paste Paste a copied folder or file into the folder.
Remove Remove the folder from the project/folder.
Rename Rename the folder.
Source Control Operations Source control recursive operations on all files in the folder.
Compile Compile each file in the folder.
Properties Show the properties dialog with the folder node selected.
File node menu entries
Open Edit the file with the default editor for the file type.
Open With Edit the file with a selected editor, you can choose from the selection:
  • Binary Editor - open with a binary editor.
  • Text Editor - open with a text editor.
  • HTML Editor - open with an html editor.
  • Web Browser - open with a web browser.
Open in Windows Explorer Create a windows explorer and locate to the file.
Compile Compile the file.
Export Build Create an editor with the build commands for the compile in the current build configuration.
Exclude From Build Set the Exclude From Build property to be Yes for this project node in the current build configuration.
Disassemble Disassemble the output file of the compile into an editor window.
Preprocess Run the C preprocessor on the file and show the output in an editor window.
Cut Cut the file from the project/folder.
Copy Copy the file from the project/folder.
Remove Remove the file from the project/folder.
Import Import the file into the project.
Add To Favourites Add the file to the favourites window.
Source Control Operations Source control operations on the file.
Properties Show the properties dialog with the file node selected.