Visual Studio - how to get rid of output window?

Question

I've just started using VS2005, mostly I've stuck to VS6 as up till now it did everything I wanted.

I like to maximize the space available and remove clutter so I only want to see the source window and files-in-project list (oddly named "solution explorer" here). So when the output window appears, I want to be able to quickly remove it when I've finished with it, and to do so with a single keystroke and NOT the mouse. I used to be able to do this quite easily in VS6 because the "view" function was a toggle, but it seems in VS2003 and later this is a view "on" only - which seems a stupid removal of a useful function.

So has anyone got a way to use a single key to perform a toggle function on the output window (and any other of the many windows that might come up)? I know there's a "closetoolwindow" function but this has to be a different key and only works if the focus is in that window, so it's a pain.

Answer 1

You can use Shift + Esc to close any tool window. to bring a tool window you can use the shortcuts like Ctrl+W ...

Answer 2

Sadly in 2013 escape key can't close the output window (It actually switch back to code window, which I think is also useful). As a keyboardholic, I have to: Ctrl+Alt+O to focus on tool window, then shift+esc to close it.