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# Quick pro tip - Open File in Sublime from Visual Studio
- URL: https://blog.tsd.digital/quick-pro-tip-open-file-in-sublime-from-visual-studio/
- Published: 2012-04-17T14:58:45.000Z
- Updated: 2012-04-17T14:58:45.000Z
- Author: Tim Gaunt
- Tags: Development, Productivity, Visual Studio, Sublime Text 2, The Site Doctor, #Import 2025-04-01 05:37

![sublime-text-2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/sublime-text-2.jpg)

This is one of those really simple little gems that helps productivity ten-fold. Firstly, regardless of whether you're running a PC, Mac or Linux, if you've not already come across [Sublime Text 2](http://www.sublimetext.com/2?ref=blog.tsd.digital) you should [go download it right now](http://www.sublimetext.com/2?ref=blog.tsd.digital).

There are a ton of amazing features in Sublime (enough to warrant an [talk by Dan Kendall](http://www.nxtgenug.net/ViewEvent.aspx?EventID=463&ref=blog.tsd.digital) no less), some of them are available in Visual Studio but none are quite as rich. Things like the [multi-selection/multi-cursor](http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXj0Fr3TV?ref=blog.tsd.digital) feature are just awesome for quickly making the same changes in multiple places, not to mention the "select this word throughout the document" shortcut which has saved me hours already.

## So what's my quick tip?

Rather than copying/pasting the path in the open dialog each time you want to edit the file, Dan pointed out to me the other day that you can easily wire it up as an external tool and then add a shortcut so you can open the current file in a flash.

Here's a step-by-step guide:

![7B3A4FE1-C8AB-43AC-96D3-353B3A6753AE](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/7B3A4FE1-C8AB-43AC-96D3-353B3A6753AE.png)

![DCE35C2C-D18D-4498-BA4A-B76B1F8299E9](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/DCE35C2C-D18D-4498-BA4A-B76B1F8299E9.png)

## Optional Additional Enhancement

You can wire up a keyboard shortcut for extra speed, again under the "Tools" menu, go to "Options" and then "Keyboard" (under "Environment"):

![ED2789BC-6B50-4AFA-A477-3C27AEDD576D](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/ED2789BC-6B50-4AFA-A477-3C27AEDD576D.png)

![ED2789BC-6B50-4AFA-A477-3C27AEDD576D-sm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/ED2789BC-6B50-4AFA-A477-3C27AEDD576D-sm.png)

![2DEAB140-EA74-4FA9-BD80-21970F22CAF5](https://storage.ghost.io/c/64/5b/645b11c2-b436-444c-a523-58dca4ca7bd8/content/images/tim/images/Quick-pro-tip--_8F3D/2DEAB140-EA74-4FA9-BD80-21970F22CAF5.png)

Thanks Dan for the heads up on this one.