DevToys SDK: Name, TargetPlatform, Order, and MenuPlacement

Beyond [ToolDisplayInformation] and the CLI/detection attributes, the DevToys SDK provides several smaller attributes that control naming, platform targeting, sort ordering, navigation placement, and feature opt-outs. Each is documented below with its constructor signature, properties, and a usage snippet.

NameAttribute

Namespace: DevToys.Api
Target: AttributeTargets.Class
AllowMultiple: false

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class NameAttribute : Attribute

[Name] assigns a stable internal identifier to any exported component. It is required on every type that participates in DevToys’ MEF composition:

IGuiTool implementations
ICommandLineTool implementations
IDataTypeDetector implementations
IResourceAssemblyIdentifier implementations
GuiToolGroup definitions

The InternalComponentName value must be globally unique within the application. It is referenced by [Order] (for relative sorting) and, on IResourceAssemblyIdentifier, by ToolDisplayInformationAttribute.ResourceManagerAssemblyIdentifier.

Constructor

public NameAttribute(string internalComponentName)

internalComponentName

string

required

The stable unique identifier for this component. Must be non-empty. By convention, use PascalCase and include a descriptive suffix (e.g. "JsonFormatterTool", "Base64EncoderDetector").

Example

[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("JsonFormatterTool")]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class JsonFormatterTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

TargetPlatformAttribute

Namespace: DevToys.Api
Target: AttributeTargets.Class
AllowMultiple: true

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = true)]
public sealed class TargetPlatformAttribute : Attribute

Restricts a component to one or more specific operating systems. DevToys will not load a component on platforms it does not target. Omit this attribute entirely to target all platforms. Because AllowMultiple = true, you can stack multiple [TargetPlatform] attributes to support a subset of platforms.

Constructor

public TargetPlatformAttribute(Platform platform)

platform

Platform

required

One of the Platform enum values:

Value	Description
`Platform.Windows`	Windows desktop
`Platform.MacOS`	macOS / Mac Catalyst
`Platform.Linux`	Linux desktop

Examples

// Windows-only tool
[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("WindowsRegistryTool")]
[TargetPlatform(Platform.Windows)]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class WindowsRegistryTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

// Available on macOS and Linux, but not Windows
[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("UnixPermissionsTool")]
[TargetPlatform(Platform.MacOS)]
[TargetPlatform(Platform.Linux)]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class UnixPermissionsTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

OrderAttribute

Namespace: DevToys.Api
Target: AttributeTargets.Class
AllowMultiple: true

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = true)]
public sealed class OrderAttribute : Attribute

Controls the relative sort position of a component within its group or the sidebar list. Each [Order] attribute establishes a single ordering constraint relative to another component identified by its [Name]. Multiple constraints may be applied by stacking attributes.

Properties

Before

string

The InternalComponentName of a component that this component should appear before. Must be non-null and non-empty when set.

After

string

The InternalComponentName of a component that this component should appear after. Must be non-null and non-empty when set.

Both Before and After may be set on the same attribute instance to express a constraint like “comes after X but before Y.”

Example

// This tool appears after JsonFormatterTool and before XmlFormatterTool
[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("YamlFormatterTool")]
[Order(After = "JsonFormatterTool", Before = "XmlFormatterTool")]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class YamlFormatterTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

Ordering is advisory. If conflicting constraints cannot all be satisfied, DevToys resolves them on a best-effort basis.

MenuPlacementAttribute

Namespace: DevToys.Api
Target: AttributeTargets.Class
AllowMultiple: false

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class MenuPlacementAttribute : Attribute

Specifies where in the navigation view a tool’s menu entry should appear. By default (when the attribute is absent), tools appear in the Body of the navigation — the main scrollable list of tools. Setting MenuPlacement.Footer places the entry in the footer area, which DevToys reserves for utility items like Settings and the Extensions Manager.

Constructor

public MenuPlacementAttribute(MenuPlacement menuPlacement)

Value	Description
`MenuPlacement.Body`	Default. Tool appears in the main navigation list.
`MenuPlacement.Footer`	Tool appears in the navigation footer (Settings-style).

Example

// A settings-like utility placed in the navigation footer
[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("MyExtensionSettings")]
[MenuPlacement(MenuPlacement.Footer)]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class MyExtensionSettingsTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

Opt-out Flags

The following marker attributes have no properties. Each suppresses a specific DevToys feature for the decorated tool.

`[NotSearchable]`

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class NotSearchableAttribute : Attribute

When present, the tool is excluded from DevToys’ search results. The tool remains accessible from the sidebar but will not appear when users type in the search bar. Useful for utility or settings-like tools that should not be discoverable via search.

[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("HiddenUtilityTool")]
[NotSearchable]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class HiddenUtilityTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

`[NotFavorable]`

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class NotFavorableAttribute : Attribute

When present, users cannot add the tool to their Favorites list. Appropriate for tools that should not clutter the Favorites section, such as one-off utilities or system tools.

[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("EphemeralTool")]
[NotFavorable]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class EphemeralTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

`[NoCompactOverlaySupport]`

[MetadataAttribute]
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple = false)]
public sealed class NoCompactOverlaySupportAttribute : Attribute

When present, the tool cannot be displayed in DevToys’ Compact Overlay (mini picture-in-picture) window mode. Use this for tools whose UI requires a minimum size that is incompatible with the compact window dimensions.

[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("FullscreenOnlyTool")]
[NoCompactOverlaySupport]
[ToolDisplayInformation(/* ... */)]
public sealed class FullscreenOnlyTool : IGuiTool { /* ... */ }

Complete Attribute Combination Example

[Export(typeof(IGuiTool))]
[Name("CsvFormatterTool")]
[ToolDisplayInformation(
    GroupName                         = PredefinedCommonToolGroupNames.Formatters,
    ResourceManagerAssemblyIdentifier = "MyExtension",
    ResourceManagerBaseName           = "MyExtension.Strings.CsvStrings",
    ShortDisplayTitleResourceName     = nameof(CsvStrings.ShortTitle),
    LongDisplayTitleResourceName      = nameof(CsvStrings.LongTitle),
    DescriptionResourceName           = nameof(CsvStrings.Description),
    IconGlyph                         = '\uE8A5',
    IconFontName                      = "FluentSystemIcons")]
[TargetPlatform(Platform.Windows)]
[TargetPlatform(Platform.MacOS)]
[Order(After = "JsonFormatterTool")]
[NotFavorable]
[NoCompactOverlaySupport]
public sealed class CsvFormatterTool : IGuiTool
{
    public UIToolView View => new UIToolView();
    public void OnDataReceived(string dataTypeName, object? parsedData) { }
}

Core Interfaces

Attributes

UI Components

DevToys SDK: Name, TargetPlatform, Order, and MenuPlacement

NameAttribute

Constructor

Example

TargetPlatformAttribute

Constructor

Examples

OrderAttribute

Properties

Example

MenuPlacementAttribute

Constructor

Example

Opt-out Flags

`[NotSearchable]`

`[NotFavorable]`

`[NoCompactOverlaySupport]`

Complete Attribute Combination Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Core Interfaces

Attributes

UI Components

Documentation Index

​NameAttribute

​Constructor

​Example

​TargetPlatformAttribute

​Constructor

​Examples

​OrderAttribute

​Properties

​Example

​MenuPlacementAttribute

​Constructor

​Example

​Opt-out Flags

​[NotSearchable]

​[NotFavorable]

​[NoCompactOverlaySupport]

​Complete Attribute Combination Example

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

NameAttribute

Constructor

Example

TargetPlatformAttribute

Constructor

Examples

OrderAttribute

Properties

Example

MenuPlacementAttribute

Constructor

Example

Opt-out Flags

`[NotSearchable]`

`[NotFavorable]`

`[NoCompactOverlaySupport]`

Complete Attribute Combination Example