Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 For Mac Download

20.12.2020

Microsoft visual studio 2012 free download - Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate, Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Professional, Microsoft Visual Studio Express Edition, and many more programs. Buy cheap software for both PC and Mac. Shop discount computer software downloads, OEM product keys and retail products. Order from a Certified Microsoft Partner. Search our online store for the lowest prices Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2012 Software on Windows, Microsoft Office, SQL Server, Windows Server, Project, Visio and more.

-->

We encourage you to update to the most recent release of Visual Studio 2017 so that you always get the latest features, fixes, and improvements.

And if you'd like to try out our newest version, consider downloading and installing Visual Studio 2019 instead.

Important

You must log on with an account that has administrative permissions to install, update, or modify Visual Studio. For more information, see User Permissions and Visual Studio.

Note

This topic applies to Visual Studio on Windows. For Visual Studio for Mac, see Update Visual Studio for Mac.

Update Visual Studio 2017 version 15.6 or later

We've streamlined the installation and update experience to make it easier to use directly from within the IDE. Here's how to update from version 15.6 and later to newer versions of Visual Studio.

Using the Notifications hub

When there's an update, there's a corresponding notification flag in Visual Studio.

Save your work.
Choose the notification flag to open the Notifications hub, and then choose the update that you want to install.
Tip
An update for an edition of Visual Studio 2017 is cumulative, so always choose to install the one with the most recent version number.
When the Update dialog box opens, choose Update Now.
If a User Access Control dialog box opens, choose Yes. Next, a 'Please wait' dialog might open for a moment, and then the Visual Studio Installer opens to start the update.
Your update continues. Then, when it's complete, Visual Studio restarts.
Note
When you run Visual Studio in administrator mode, you must manually restart Visual Studio after the update.

Using the IDE

You can check for an update and then install the update from the menu bar in Visual Studio.

Save your work.
Choose Help > Check for Updates.
When the Update dialog box opens, choose Update Now.
The update proceeds as described in the previous section, and then Visual Studio restarts after the update completes successfully.
Note
When you run Visual Studio in administrator mode, you must manually restart Visual Studio after the update.

Using the Visual Studio Installer

As in earlier versions of Visual Studio, you can use the Visual Studio Installer to install an update.

Save your work.
Open the installer. The Visual Studio Installer might require updating before you continue.
Note
On a computer running Windows 10, you can find the installer under the letter V as the Visual Studio Installer, or under the letter M as the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer.
On the Product page in the installer, look for the edition of Visual Studio that you installed previously.
If an update is available, you see an Update button. (It might take a few seconds for the installer to determine whether an update is available.)
Choose the Update button to install the updates.

Update Visual Studio 2017 version 15.5 or earlier

If you're using an earlier version, here's how to apply an update from Visual Studio 2017 version 15.0 through version 15.5.

Update by using the Notifications hub

When there are updates, there's a corresponding notification flag in Visual Studio.
Choose the notification flag to open the Notifications hub.
Tip
An update for an edition of Visual Studio 2017 is cumulative, so always choose to install the one with the most recent version number.
Choose 'Visual Studio Update' is available, which opens the Extensions and Updates dialog box.
In the Extensions and Updates dialog box, choose the Update button.

More about Visual Studio notifications

Visual Studio notifies you when an update is available for Visual Studio itself or for any components, and also when certain events occur in the Visual Studio environment.

When the notification flag is yellow, there's a Visual Studio product update available for you to install.
When the notification flag is red, there's a problem with your license.
When the notification flag is black, there are optional or informational messages to review.

Choose the notifications flag to open the Notifications hub and then choose the notifications that you want to act on. Or, choose to ignore or dismiss a notification.

If you choose to ignore a notification, Visual Studio stops showing it. If you want to reset the list of ignored notifications, choose the Settings button in the Notifications hub.

Update by using the Visual Studio Installer

Open the installer. You might need to update the installer before continuing. If this is the case, you're prompted to do so.
Note
On a computer running Windows 10, you can find the installer under the letter V as the Visual Studio Installer, or under the letter M as the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer.
On the Product page in the installer, look for the edition of Visual Studio that installed previously.
If an update is available, you see an Update button. (It might take a few seconds for the installer to determine whether an update is available.)
Choose the Update button to install the updates.

We encourage you to update to the most recent release of Visual Studio 2019 so that you always get the latest features, fixes, and improvements.

Visual Studio 2012 Setup Download

If you haven't already installed Visual Studio 2019, go to the Visual Studio downloads page to install it for free. If you are currently using a different version of Visual Studio, you can either install Visual Studio versions side-by-side, or uninstall previous versions of Visual Studio.

Important

You must log on with an account that has administrative permissions to install, update, or modify Visual Studio. For more information, see User Permissions and Visual Studio.

Note

This topic applies to Visual Studio on Windows. For Visual Studio for Mac, see Update Visual Studio for Mac.

Here's how to update Visual Studio 2019.

Use the Visual Studio Installer

Find the Visual Studio Installer on your computer.
In the Windows Start menu, you can search for 'installer'.
You might have to update the installer before continuing. If so, follow the prompts.
In the installer, look for the edition of Visual Studio that you installed.
For example, if you previously installed Visual Studio Community 2019 and there's an update for it, then an Update available message appears in the installer.
Choose Update to install the updates.
After the update is complete, you might be asked to restart your computer. If so, do so, and then start Visual Studio as you typically would.
If you aren't asked to restart your computer, choose Launch to start Visual Studio from the installer.

Use the IDE

You can check for an update and then install it by using the menu bar or the search box in Visual Studio 2019.

Open Visual Studio

From the Windows Start menu, choose Visual Studio 2019.
Under Get started, choose any option to open the IDE.
Visual Studio opens. In the IDE, a Visual Studio 2019 update message appears.
In the Visual Studio 2019 update message, choose View details.
In the Update downloaded and ready to install dialog box, choose Update.
Visual Studio updates, closes, and then reopens.

In Visual Studio

From the menu bar, choose Help, and then choose Check for Updates.
Note
You can also use the search box in the IDE to check for updates. Press Ctrl+Q, type 'check for updates', and then choose the search result that matches.
In the Update available dialog box, choose Update.
Visual Studio updates, closes, and then reopens.

Use the Notifications hub

In Visual Studio, save your work.
Choose the notification icon from the lower-right corner of the Visual Studio IDE to open the Notifications hub.
In the Notifications hub, choose the update that you want to install, and then choose View details.
Tip
An update for an edition of Visual Studio 2019 is cumulative, so always choose to install the one with the most recent version number.
In the Update available dialog box, choose Update.
Visual Studio updates, closes, and then reopens.

Customize update settings

You can customize the update settings in Visual Studio in several different ways, such as by changing the installation mode and by selecting automatic downloads.

There are two installation modes to choose from:

Install while downloading
Download all, then install

You can also choose the Automatically download updates setting, which allows updates to download while your machine is idle.

Here's how:

On the menu bar, choose Tools > Options.
Expand Environment, and then choose Product Updates.
Choose the installation mode and the automatic download options you want for your Visual Studio updates.

Get support

Sometimes, things can go wrong. If your Visual Studio installation fails, see Troubleshoot Visual Studio installation and upgrade issues for step-by-step guidance.

We also offer an installation chat (English only) support option for installation-related issues.

Here are a few more support options:

Report product issues to us via the Report a Problem tool that appears both in the Visual Studio Installer and in the Visual Studio IDE.
Suggest a feature, track product issues, and find answers in the Visual Studio Developer Community.
Use your GitHub account to talk to us and other Visual Studio developers in the Visual Studio conversation in the Gitter community.

Image use in Visual Studio

Before creating artwork, consider making use of the 1,000+ images in the Visual Studio Image Library.

Types of images

Icons. Small images that appear in commands, hierarchies, templates, and so on. The default icon size used in Visual Studio is a 16x16 PNG. Icons produced by the image service automatically generate the XAML format for HDPI support.
Note
While images are used in the menu system, you should not create an icon for every command. Consult Menus and Commands for Visual Studio to see whether your command should get an icon.
Thumbnails. Images used in the preview area of a dialog, such as the New Project dialog.
Dialog images. Images that appear in dialogs or wizards, either as descriptive graphics or message indicators. Use infrequently and only when necessary to illustrate a difficult concept or gain the user's attention (alert, warning).
Animated images. Used in progress indicators, status bars, and operation dialogs.
Cursors. Used to indicate whether an operation is allowed using the mouse, where an object may be dropped, and so on.

Icon design

Overview

Visual Studio uses modern-style icons, which have clean geometry and a 50/50 balance of positive/negative (light/dark), and use direct, understandable metaphors. Crucial icon design points center around clarity, simplification, and context.

Clarity: focus on the core metaphor that gives an icon its meaning and individuality.
Simplification: reduce the icon to its core meaning - get the theme across with just the necessary element(s) and no frills.
Context: consider all aspects of an icon's role during concept development, which is crucial when deciding which elements constitute the icon's core metaphor.
With icons, there are a number of design points to avoid:
Don't use icons that signify UI elements except when appropriate. Choose a more abstract or symbolic approach when the UI element is neither common, evident, nor unique.
Don't overuse common elements like documents, folders, arrows, and the magnifying glass. Use such elements only when essential to the icon's meaning. For example, the right-facing magnifying glass should indicate only Search, Browse, and Find.
Although some legacy icon elements maintain the use of perspective, don't create new icons with perspective unless the element lacks clarity without it.
Don't cram too much information into an icon. A simple image that can be easily recognized or learned as a recognizable symbol is much more useful than an overly complex image. An icon cannot tell the whole story.

Icon creation

Concept development

Visual Studio has within its UI a wide variety of icon types. Carefully consider the icon type during development. Don't use unclear or uncommon UI objects for your icon elements. Opt for the symbolic in these cases, such as with the Smart Tag icon. Note that the meaning of the abstract tag on the left is more obvious than the vague, UI-based version on the right:

Correct use of symbolic imagery	Incorrect use of symbolic imagery

There are instances in which standard, easily recognizable UI elements do work well for icons. Add Window is one such example:

Correct UI element in an icon	Incorrect UI element in an icon

Don't use a document as a base element unless it is essential to the icon's meaning. Without the document element on Add Document (below) the meaning is lost, whereas with Refresh the document element is unnecessary to communicate the meaning.

Correct use of document icon	Incorrect use of document icon

The concept of 'show' should be represented by the icon which best illustrates what is being shown, such as with the Show All Files example. A lens metaphor may be used to indicate the concept of 'view' if necessary, such as with the Resource View example.

'Show'	'View'

The right-facing magnifying glass icon should represent only Search, Find, and Browse. The left-facing variant with the plus sign or minus sign should represent only zoom in/zoom out.

'Search'	'Zoom'

In tree views, do not use both the folder icon and a modifier. When available, use only the modifier.

Correct tree view icons	Incorrect tree view icons

Style details

Visual Studio 2012 Desktop Download

Layout

Stack elements as shown for standard 16x16 icons:

Layout stack for 16x16 icons

Status notification elements are better used as standalone icons. There are contexts, however, in which a notification should be stacked on the base element, such as with the Task Complete icon:

Standalone notification icons

Task Complete icon

Project icons are typically .ico files that contain multiple sizes. Most 16x16 icons contain the same elements. The 32x32 versions have more details, including the project type when applicable.

VB Windows Control Library Project icons, 16x16 and 32x32

Center an icon within its pixel frame. If that is not possible, align the icon to the top and/or right of the frame.

Icon centered within the pixel frame

Icon aligned to the top right of the frame

Icon centered and aligned to the top of the frame

To achieve ideal alignment and balance, avoid obstructing the icon's base element with action glyphs. Place the glyph near the top left of the base element. When adding an additional element, consider the alignment and balance of the icon.

Correct alignment and balance	Incorrect alignment and balance

Ensure size parity for icons that share elements and are used in sets. Note that in the incorrect pairing, the circle and arrow are oversized and don't match.

Correct size parity	Incorrect size parity

Use consistent line and visual weights. Evaluate how the icon you are building compares to other icons by using a side-by-side comparison. Never use the entire 16x16 frame, use 15x15 or smaller. The negative-to-positive (dark-to-light) ratio should be 50/50.

Correct negative-to-positive ratio	Incorrect negative-to-positive ratio

Use simple, comparable shapes and complementary angles to build your elements without sacrificing element integrity. Use 45° or 90° angles where possible.

Perspective

Keep the icon clear and understandable. Use perspective and a light source only when necessary. Although using perspective on icon elements should be avoided, some elements are unrecognizable without it. In such cases, a stylized perspective communicates the element's clarity.

3-point perspective

1-point perspective

Most elements should be facing or angled to the right:

Use light sources only when adding necessary clarity to an object.

Correct light source	Incorrect light source

Use outlines only to enhance legibility or to better communicate the metaphor. The negative-positive (dark-light) balance should be 50/50.

Correct use of outlines	Incorrect use of outlines

Icon types

Shell and command bar icons consist of no more than three of the following elements: one base, one modifier, one action, or one status.

Examples of shell and command bar icons

Tool window command bar icons consist of no more than three of the following elements: one base, one modifier, one action, or one status.

Examples of tool window command bar icons

Tree view disambiguator icons consist of no more than three of the following elements: one base, one modifier, one action, or one status.

Examples of tree view disambiguator icons

State-based value taxonomy icons exist in the following states: active, active disabled, and inactive disabled.

Examples of state-based value taxonomy icons

IntelliSense icons consist of no more than three of the following elements: one base, one modifier, and one status.

Examples of IntelliSense icons

Small (16x16) project icons should have no more than two elements: one base and one modifier.

Examples of small (16x16) project icons

Large (32x32) project icons consist of no more than four of the following elements: one base, one to two modifiers, and one language overlay.

Examples of large (32x32) project icons

Production details

All new UI elements should be created using Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and all new icons for WPF should be in 32-bit PNG format. The 24-bit PNG is a legacy format that does not support transparency and is therefore not recommended for icons.

Save the resolution at 96 DPI.

File types

32-bit PNG: the preferred format for icons. A lossless data compression file format that can store a single raster (pixel) image. 32-bit PNG files support alpha-channel transparency, gamma correction, and interlacing.
32-bit BMP: for non-WPF controls. Also called XP or high color, 32-bit BMP is an RGB/A image format, a true-color image with an alpha-channel transparency. The alpha channel is a layer of transparency designated in Adobe Photoshop that is then saved within the bitmap as an additional (fourth) color channel. A black background is added during artwork production to all 32-bit BMP files to provide a quick visual cue about the color depth. This black background represents the area to be masked out in the UI.
32-bit ICO: for Project icons and Add Item. All ICO files are 32-bit true color with alpha-channel transparency (RGB/A). Because ICO files can store multiple sizes and color depths, Vista icons are often in an ICO format containing 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, and 256x256 image sizes. In order to display properly in Windows Explorer, ICO files must be saved-down to 24-bit and 8-bit color depths for each image size.
XAML: for design surfaces and Windows adorners. XAML icons are vector-based image files that support scaling, rotating, filing, and transparency. They are not common in Visual Studio today but are becoming more popular because of their flexibility.
SVG
24-bit BMP: for the Visual Studio command bar. A true-color RGB image format, 24-bit BMP is an icon convention that creates a layer of transparency by using magenta (R=255, G=0, B=255) as a color key for a knock-out transparency layer. In a 24-bit BMP, all magenta surfaces are displayed using the background color.
24-bit GIF: for the Visual Studio command bar. A true-color RGB image format that supports transparency. GIF files are often used in Wizard artwork and GIF animations.

Icon construction

The smallest icon size in Visual Studio is 16x16. The largest in common use is 32x32. Keep in mind not to fill up the entire 16x16, 24x24, or 32x32 frame when designing an icon. Legible, uniform icon construction is essential to user recognition. Adhere to the following points when building icons.

Icons should be clear, understandable, and consistent.
It is better to use the status notification elements as single icons and not to stack them on top of an icon base element. In certain contexts, the UI might require the status element to be paired with a base element.
Project icons are usually .ico files that contain several sizes. Only the 16x16, 24x24, and 32x32 icons are being updated. Most 16x16 and 24x24 icons will contain the same elements. The 32x32 icons contain more details, including the project language type when applicable.
For 32x32 icons, the base elements generally have a 2-pixel line weight. A 1- or 2-pixel line weight can be used for detail elements. Use your best judgment to determine which is more suitable.
Have at least a 1-pixel spacing between elements for 16x16 and 24x24 icons. For 32x32 icons, use 2-pixel spacing between elements and between the modifier and base element.

Element spacing for icons sized 16x16, 24x24, and 32x32

Color and accessibility

Visual Studio compliance guidelines require that all icons in the product pass the accessibility requirements for color and contrast. This is achieved through icon inversion, and when you are designing, you should be aware they will be inverted programmatically in the product.

For more information on using color in Visual Studio icons, see Using color in images.

Using color in images

Overview

Icons in Visual Studio are primarily monochromatic. Color is reserved to convey specific information and never for decoration. Color is used:

to indicate an action
to alert the user to a status notification
to designate language affiliation
to differentiate items within IntelliSense

Accessibility

Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 Free Download For Mac

Visual Studio compliance guidelines require that all icons checked into the product pass the accessibility requirements for color and contrast. Colors in the visual language palette have been tested and meet these requirements.

Color inversion for dark themes

In order to make icons appear with the correct contrast ratio in the Visual Studio dark theme, an inversion is applied programmatically. The colors in this guide have been chosen in part so that they invert correctly. Restrict your use of color to this palette, or you will get unpredictable results when the inversion is applied.

Examples of icons that have had their colors inverted

Base palette

All standard icons contain three base colors. Icons contain no gradients or drop shadows, with one or two exceptions for 3D-tool icons.

Usage	Name	Value (Light theme)
Background/Dark	VS BG	424242 / 66,66,66
Foreground/Light	VS FG	F0EFF1 / 240,239,241
Outline	VS Out	F6F6F6 / 246,246,246

In addition to the base colors, each icon may contain one additional color from the extended palette.

Extended palette

Action modifiers

The four colors below indicate the types of actions required by action modifiers:

Usage	Name	Value (all themes)
Positive	VS Action Green	388A34 / 56,138,52
Negative	VS Action Red	A1260D / 161,38,13
Neutral	VS Action Blue	00539C / 0,83,156
Create/New	VS Action Orange	C27D1A / 194,156,26

Examples

Green is used for positive action modifiers like 'Add,' 'Run,' 'Play,' and 'Validate.'

Run	Execute query	Play all steps	Add Control

Red is used for negative action modifiers like 'Delete,' 'Stop,' 'Cancel,' and 'Close.'

Delete Relationship	Delete Column	Stop Query	Connection Offline

Blue is applied to neutral action modifiers most commonly represented as arrows, like 'Open,' 'Next,' 'Previous,' 'Import,' and 'Export.'

Go to Field	Batched Check-In	Address Editor	Association Editor

Dark gold is primarily used for the 'New' modifier.

New Project	Create New Graph	New Unit Test	New List Item

Special cases

In special cases, a colored action modifier may be used independently as a standalone icon. The color used for the icon reflects the actions that the icon is associated with. This use is limited to a small subset of icons, including:

Run	Stop	Delete	Save	Navigate Back

Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2012 Download

Code hierarchy palette

Folder

Usage	Name	Value (all themes)	Swatch	Example
Folders	Folder	DCB67A / 220,182,122

Visual Studio languages

Each of the common languages or platforms available in Visual Studio has an associated color. These colors are used on the base icon, or on language modifiers that appear in the upper right corner of compound icons.

Usage	Name	Value (all themes)
ASP, HTML, WPF	ASP HTML WPF Blue	0095D7 / 0,149,215
C++	CPP Purple	9B4F96 / 155,79,150
C#	CS Green (VS Action Green)	388A34 / 56,138,52
CSS	CSS Red	BD1E2D / 189,30,45
F#	FS Purple	672878 / 103,40,120
JavaScript	JS Orange	F16421 / 241,100,33
VB	VB Blue (VS Action Blue)	00539C / 0,83,156
TypeScript	TS Orange	E04C06 / 224,76,6
Python	PY Green	879636 / 135,150,54

Examples of icons with language modifiers

VB	C#	F#	JavaScript	Python

HTML	WPF	ASP	CSS	TypeScript
HTML	WPF	ASP	CSS	TypeScript

IntelliSense

IntelliSense icons use an exclusive color palette. These colors are used to help users quickly distinguish between the different items in the IntelliSense popup list.

Usage	Name	Value (all themes)
Class, Event	VS Action Orange	C27D1A / 194,125,26
Extension Method, Method, Module, Delegate	VS Action Purple	652D90 / 101,45,144
Field, Enum Item, Macro, Structure, Union Value Type, Operator, Interface	VS Action Blue	00539C / 0,83,156
Object	VS Action Green	388A34 / 56,138,52
Constant, Exception, Enum Item, Map, Map Item, Namespace, Template, Type Definition	Background (VS BG)	424242 / 66,66,66

Examples of IntelliSense icons