How do you change C++ class autocomplete in VS Code so that the public keyword appears first? - visual-studio-code

Question

When autocompleting a class in C++ on VS code, it will print private first and public second. I would like to change the defaults to the opposite but I cannot find where to access these settings. Is there a key you can set in the c_cpp_properties.json file maybe?

Answer 1

Alright, so I thought that CLang-format had a setting like the one you asked for. I looked through the link above's documentation (which I know fairly well) for a rule that organizes the access modifiers, but there doesn't seem to be one. I also poked around VS Code, and to no ones supprise, VS Code didn't have anything worth mentioning either.
There is Good Option that Might Work for You Though.
This solution is called VS Code Snippets. The snippets are what you are using when you click the suggestion that auto completes. The template that creates the class is defined in the Snippet cpp.json document, or if you downloaded a snippets extension for C++ they might live their. Either way, you can just write your own "C++ Class Snippet",and use that. The snippet will be auto completed in what ever manner you define it. Here is one I wrote, to demonstrate what you can do:
FYI: You are already using snippets each time you use an auto-completion, your just using snippets that someone else wrote.
IMO, VSCode has the best support, by far, for writing auto completions.
"C++ Class Snippet (public first) #JCSB": {
"prefix": "class",
"body":[
"class ${0:Name} {",
"\npublic:",
"\n ${1:publicMember}", // PUBLIC MEMBERS
"\n ${2:publicMember}",
"\n ${3:publicMember}",
"\nprivate:",
"\n ${4:privateMember}", // PRIVATE MEMBERS
"\n ${5:privateMember}",
"\n ${6:privateMember}",
"\nprotected:",
"\n ${7:protectedMember}", // PROTECTED MEMBERS
"\n};"
],
"description": "(#JCSB) C++ class w/ public access modifier placed first."
}
The class has 4 Place holders ($0, $1, $2 & $3).
$0: "choose class name"
$1: "Set your public members"
$2: "Set your private members"
$3: "Author your methods."
You can move from one placeholder to the next using the Tab key.
HELPFULL LINKS:
Official Snippets Documentation
You should read about Emmets as well at the link below:
Read about configuring the "V.S. Code Intellisense Extension". This page will tell you how to configure it, which is an advanced topic with information that is capable of changing the way you look at V.S. Code & how you use its tools & features.
One Last Tip:
Add the following configurations to your settings.json file to make sure your snippets take priority over suggestions and built-in snippets in the suggestions-widget. Quick suggestions is a suggested word, or syntax that intellisense puts at the top. Those who write there own snippets often find it useful to prioritize their snippets over the quick suggestions.
// #file "settings.json"
{
"editor.snippetSuggestions": "inline",
"editor.suggest.showSnippets": true,
"editor.suggest.snippetsPreventQuickSuggestions": true,
}