See the type of a var in Visual Studio

Question

Is there a way to see the type of a var within the Visual Studio 2013 code editor?

When I have a crazy linq query it would be nice to see what the resulting type will be. I don't want to replace the var keyword with the actual type, I just want to see what it is.

Laguna

by hovering on particular var?? – Transgress

In some versions, mouseover the var keyword will not show anything, but in 2013 it should show the Type. You can also mouseover the variable itself. – Extempore

How to: Use Debugger Variable Windows – Informer

@TimSchmelter - Not sure if your link applies. I want to see the type during design time. – Laguna

Answer 1

You can get it by Hovering on particular var keyword.

For example see in below image the tooltip shows the details.

Transgress

Does anyone know how to get this to work while debugging? When debugging I can't hover over fields/methods to see their descriptions, but CTRL-K, I works when debugging. – Nottinghamshire

Answer 2

There is also a keyboard shortcut that will show you. Put the cursor over var and type:

ctrl+k, i

Cirone

That's exactly what I was looking for! – Resistencia

Great ...but how did u come to know this ? – Carnay

Don't recall exactly where I found it, possibly from digging through the VS Keyboard mappings – Cirone

Answer 3

For newer versions of VS (I'm not sure this applies to 2013), you have the option to go down to:

Tools > Options > Text Editor > C# > Advanced

Scroll down to the "Inline Hints' section and enable Display inline type hints to show type hints inline with the line where the var is specified. There's also an option to display parameter name hints there, also very useful.

Kunin

Answer 4

For Vs 2019 or 2022 Go to visual studio Option > Text Editor > c# > Advanced > Display inline type hints

Afforest

Answer 5

Hover your mouse over the var keyword, it will show it in a tooltip.

Ossa

You can also use F12 to go to definition on the var keyword, and it'll take you to the class. – Psychobiology

Will it do this for the result of a linq query? – Laguna

Yes, the compiler can still infer the type from a linq query - unless you select an anonymous type, I'm not sure what it does then. – Ossa

Answer 6

Hover on the variable... It will tell you.

Hick

variable? or var keyword? – Fearful

Both will work. On the Var keyword, it will tell you the Type var replace, on the variable, it will let you explore it as a usual variable (including the type). – Hick

Answer 7

The text of the type can often be obtained (using copy and paste) by temporarily changing the var to an explicit type, say int. That will force a compilation error. After doing a Build solution the type of the variable should be written in both the Error list and the Output panes.

Libre

Answer 8

Move your mouse cursor hover the var keyword, a tooltip will show you the actual type.

Burma

Answer 9

Add a variable watch. Check the type in the watch window.

Carouse