Visual Studio 2010 annoyingly opens documents in wrong MDI pane

Did you perhaps use the "New Horizontal Tab Group" command to split #1 into #1 and #2, then move your errors window into that?

I would just try resetting the window layout and see if that fixes it.

  1. First, Window -> Close All Documents
  2. Then, Window -> Reset Window Layout
  3. Exit VS to be sure, then go back in.

Another solution - avoiding "Reset Layout" - is to reposition the windows in "area 2" (usually breakpoints/watch/debug-output) making sure you drag them to the circled "bottom-most" of the dockpositions (if you move it to the one crossed out in the below image, it'll open code-files in the wrong location).

visual studio window docking locations

Alternatively, at the very bottom of the screen there is another dock-position, but that one will cause area #2 to be stretched through the entire bottom of the screen (stealing some space from area #3).

Fix is instant & no need to restart Visual Studio.


I have this problem too.

I tried Josh's solution, and it worked. Actually it might be even simpler, it might be enough to just do Window -> Reset Window layout. But I can't test that since I don't know how the wrong behaviour started.

If Josh's solution does not work for you, someone at Microsoft support recommended to reset all settings ( Tools-> Import and Export setting... -> Reset all settings (see http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/635796/files-open-up-in-the-wrong-docking-window).

I did not want to do that because I didn't want to use all my settings - and it turned out to not be necessary.


I had the same problem with Visual Studio. Plus my explorer window kept disappearing all the time and had to go to view and launch both properties and explorer window again.

Solution:

  1. Go to Window Then Reset layout.
  2. Organize your workstation the way you want as far as properties, toolbar/toolbox and explorer window.
  3. Go back to window Then save Layout.

This will allow you to go back to the layout that you prefer every time things move around. Hope this helps. Happy coding.