Methods inside namespace c#

Question

Is there any way to call a function that is inside of a namespace without declaring the class inside c#.

For Example, if I had 2 methods that are the exact same and should be used in all of my C# projects, is there any way to just take those functions and make it into a dll and just say 'Using myTwoMethods' on top and start using the methods without declaring the class?

Right now, I do: MyClass.MyMethod();

I want to do: MyMethod();

Thanks, Rohit

Asik · Answer 1 · 2015-12-03T16:08:12.727

34

Update for 2015: No you cannot create "free functions" in C#, but starting with C# 6 you'll be able to call static functions without mentioning the class name. C# 6 will have the "using static" feature allowing this syntax:

static class MyClass {
     public static void MyMethod();
}

SomeOtherFile.cs:

using static MyClass;

void SomeMethod() {
    MyMethod();
}

edited Dec 03 '15 at 16:08

answered May 13 '12 at 00:40

Asik

21,506
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score 20 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 14 '17 at 00:47

20

You can't declare methods outside of a class, but you can do this using a static helper class in a Class Library Project.

public static class HelperClass
{
    public static void HelperMethod() {
        // ...
    }
}

Usage (after adding a reference to your Class Library).

HelperClass.HelperMethod();

edited Sep 14 '17 at 00:47

p13i

7
4

answered May 12 '12 at 23:56

David Anderson

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1

Is there a way to call "HelperMethod()" without the helperclass? – rkrishnan2012 May 13 '12 at 00:09
2

There is not. Methods must be contained within a class or struct. – David Anderson May 13 '12 at 00:10
If you declare `using static HelperClass` you can call `HelperMethod()` – Mr Anderson Mar 29 '19 at 20:40

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered May 12 '12 at 23:43

3

Depends on what type of method we are talking, you could look into extension methods:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb383977.aspx

This allows you to easily add extra functionality to existing objects.

answered May 12 '12 at 23:43

box86rowh

3,415
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score 3 · Answer 4 · answered May 13 '12 at 00:19

3

Following on from the suggestion to use extension methods, you could make the method an extension method off of System.Object, from which all classes derive. I would not advocate this, but pertaining to your question this may be an answer.

namespace SomeNamespace
{
    public static class Extensions
    {
      public static void MyMethod(this System.Object o)
      {
        // Do something here.
      }
    }
}

You could now write code like MyMethod(); anywhere you have a using SomeNamespace;, unless you are in a static method (then you would have to do Extensions.MyMethod(null)).

answered May 13 '12 at 00:19

StellarEleven

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4
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I am not able to access MyMethod without calling 'Extensions.MyMethod()' within my Form_load of another class. THanks anyway. – rkrishnan2012 May 13 '12 at 16:59
This seemed really cool until I remembered that the Main function in C# is required to be static. – Chris Rollins Sep 23 '16 at 21:40

Methods inside namespace c#

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