Visual Studio - Current file in Solution Explorer - Make it darker?

Question

I don't want to change the entire background color of solution explorer in VS, only the selected file.

Hints?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Check out Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions, and then check off "Track Active Item in Solution Explorer". This will make whichever file you're viewing/editing inside of Visual Studio automatically be selected in Solution Explorer and if your Windows color scheme is set up properly, it will in fact be darker.

This option used to be on by default in 2003 and maybe 2005, but 2008 has it disabled by default now... I personally prefer it turned on.

Answer 2

I have no idea why you want to do that in the first place, curious :)
Anyway, I doubt you can change the entire UI's background color depending on the type of file /editor mode.

You might find more clues from these:
Visual Studio - Fonts and Colors, Environment, Options Dialog Box
Changing your colors in Visual Studio.NET - Black versus White
How to increase your Visual Studio environment fonts for presentations?

Answer 3

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors\ButtonFace is the registry key that sets the background color of the current file in solution explorer when solution explorer has not focus, this is what I found for Vs2010 and windows 7 - could not seem to find interface to modify the button face color in the gui. many things use this color, so I set just dark enough to see.