This post discusses how Visual Studio developers can configure XML formatting rules, particularly for attribute alignment. While many developers know the basic auto-format shortcut (CTRL+E, D), fewer are aware of customization options.
Key Configuration
To modify XML formatting settings, navigate to:
Text Editor -> XML -> Formatting section Attributes
Enabling the "Align attributes each on a separate line" option produces formatted output like:
<MsmqTransportConfig InputQueue="SmartService"
NumberOfWorkerThreads="1"
MaxRetries="5"
ErrorQueue="error"/>Important Considerations
Tab Indentation Problem
When using tabs for indentation with attribute alignment, different tab sizes across developers cause misalignment. The recommendation is to use spaces for consistent formatting across team members with varying settings.
Configuration File Bug
Visual Studio extensions sometimes modify config files without respecting established XML formatting preferences, replacing tabs with spaces and disrupting formatting consistency.
Recommendation
Avoid tab indentation for XML files and enable the separate-line attribute alignment setting to maintain uniform, readable formatting across all development environments.