---
uid: application-development.modelling.viewing-code
description: "Explains how to view generated files associated with a designer element either in your IDE or directly in Intent Architect, and how Intent Architect detects the preferred IDE to use."
---
# Viewing Code

Intent Architect designers can display generated files associated with a particular element by right-clicking on it. There are two options available:

## View Code in Intent Architect

View the file directly within Intent Architect in a code viewer:

![View Code context menu option](images/view-code-context-menu-option.png)

The code viewer displays the generated file with syntax highlighting:

![View Code result](images/view-code-result.png)

## Open in IDE

Open the generated files associated with a designer element in your preferred IDE:

![Open in IDE context menu option](images/open-in-ide-context-menu-option.png)

In the screenshot above there are 4 files which Intent Architect determined are associated with the selected element.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Intent Architect will not show or update the list of files associated with an element until [Software Factory](https://docs.intentarchitect.com/docs-md/application-development/software-factory/about-software-factory-execution/about-software-factory-execution.md) changes have been applied.
>
> The list of associated files is stored in an application's `.intent` folder which [should not be committed into source control management systems (such as Git)](https://docs.intentarchitect.com/docs-md/application-development/applications-and-solutions/git-and-scm-guidance/git-and-scm-guidance.md#folders-which-should-always-be-ignored), so if you've just checked out a repository or recently pulled changes into your branch, re-run the Software Factory and apply changes to ensure your local list is fully up to date.

> [!NOTE]
>
> If you already have the Visual Studio Solution open in your IDE, "Open In IDE" will open the file in that IDE instance.

> [!NOTE]
>
> If your IDE is running as Administrator your Intent Architect will also need to be running as Administrator for it to discover the running instance.

## How does Intent Architect choose which IDE to use?

The IDE to use is controlled by the "Preferred IDE" option in [user settings](https://docs.intentarchitect.com/docs-md/application-development/user-interface/how-to-change-user-settings/how-to-change-user-settings.md) which by default is set to "Auto":

![Preferred IDE option in user settings](images/preferred-ide-user-setting.png)

When set to "Auto", Intent Architect will check in common locations on your computer for supported IDEs and use the first one it can locate based on the following priority:

- Microsoft Visual Studio
- JetBrains Rider
- Visual Studio Code

If there is a particular IDE you would prefer that Intent Architect uses, you can change the option to one of the following:

- JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA

  > [!NOTE]
  > Intent Architect is not able to auto-detect the path for IntelliJ's executable and its path will need to be manually specified in the "IntelliJ IDEA Executable" field.

- JetBrains Rider

  Intent is generally able to auto-detect the location of Rider's executable, but you can manually specify the path if required.

- Microsoft Visual Studio
- Microsoft Visual Studio Code
- Other

  You can have Intent use any other IDE of your choosing by specifying its executable location and the launch arguments where Intent Architect will substitute `%FILE_PATH%` with the full path of the file to open.