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I'm doing some architectural cleanup that involves moving a bunch of classes into different projects and/or namespaces. Currently I'm moving the files by hand, building, and then manually adding using Foo statements as needed to resolve compilation errors. Anyone know of a smarter way of doing this? (We're a CodeRush and Refactor! shop, but I'd be interested to hear if Resharper has support for this)

GEOCHET
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Seth Petry-Johnson
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9 Answers9

43

Visual Studio 2019 provides at least 2 built-in options:

'Move to namespace...' refactoring can be triggered on any class, and VS will prompt for the target namespace.

'Change namespace to...' refactoring is provided for when the current file namespace doesn't match with the folder structure.

This can be used to move individual classes to a different namespace by:

  1. creating the desired folder structure
  2. moving the file
  3. applying the mentioned refactoring (CTRL+. with the cursor over the namespace)

These operation ensures that all references are updated accordingly.

gschuager
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    Move to namespace doesn't change references. I don't have Change namespace to, is it Enterprise only feature? I have Professional. – user3285954 Aug 07 '19 at 20:56
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    I see both options in VS Community, and 'Move to namespace' does indeed update references – gschuager Aug 08 '19 at 15:19
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    Move to namespace does update references indeed. It didn't update references for a class what was in a file what had more types. I also noticed that doesn't work at all for partial classes. Thanks for confirming :) – user3285954 Aug 08 '19 at 23:30
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    This should be the currently accepted answer, as it provides a solution with the current version of VS without any 3rd party solutions. – Artur Dec 04 '19 at 14:52
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    Am I the only one not to see `Move to namespace...` when I open the `Quick Actions and Refactorings...` menu? I only have `Generate constructor...`, `Generate overrides...`, or `Extract Interface...`. Could be that the refactoring only applies to C# and not VB.. a pity.. – Ama May 23 '20 at 16:19
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    I think everyone is making this out to be harder than it is. I'm using VS 2019 and no longer have resharper. All I did was drag it to the new location and VS updated. I was able to build. Then I went to the left hint to change the namespace which I did based on the new location and VS updated. Again, I was able to build. It was really that simple. – Kirby Sep 17 '20 at 20:22
  • Where is this opton can someone tell clearly? – yılmaz Sep 27 '21 at 09:15
34

Visual Studio 2010 has the possibility to rename a namespace. Place the cursor over the namespace name and press F2. Or simply rename it in the code and press Shift+Alt+F10, Enter after seeing the red squiggle appear.

Reharper can also rename namespaces. Quote:

The Rename Namespace refactoring allows users to rename a specific namespace and automatically correct all references to the namespace in the code. The following usages are renamed:

  • Namespace statements
  • Using directives
  • Qualified names of types
Sam
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Darin Dimitrov
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    How would that help when you want to move an identifier into a namespace? – sbi Jul 29 '10 at 07:38
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    @sbi by renaming the namespace that the class is in into the new name? – Igor Zevaka Jul 29 '10 at 07:44
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    @Igor: Read the question again. oleks wants to partition the namespace into sub-namespaces. That means moving `NS::C` to `NS::NS1::C`. Can renaming namespaces do that? – sbi Jul 29 '10 at 07:54
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    @sbi - yes it can. You can create the new namespace (i.e. create folder structure corresponding to the new namespace) in VS and then drag and drop the types into the new folder. Resharper will now warn you that these types are in a namespace (the old one) that doesn't correspond to their folder structure (ie the new namespace). It then offers you the chance to correct them; this will updated just the types that have moved to the new or sub namespace. – Rob Levine Jul 29 '10 at 07:59
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    I've tried resharper, and yes as Rob Levine pointed out - it will complain if your namespaces don't fit the folder structure and give you the choice of fixing that. While this works perfectly for e.g. a dll project, it's not so with a web site, where your code (by convention) should be in an App_Code directory. It suggested that I make a namespace App_Code.SomeNameSpace.SomSubNameSpace -- not very good. – oleks Jul 29 '10 at 11:47
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    I suggest "Ctrl" + "." rather than "Shift" + "Alt" + "F10". I think the latter is more awkward to type. – Sam Nov 12 '13 at 00:29
  • I suggest right-click > Refactor > Rename..., rather than relying on key bindings that may differ between developers. – yoyo Oct 10 '14 at 22:34
  • Unfortunately you only rename the final component of a namespace, you can't remove or move it. Unless I'm missing something. – yoyo Oct 24 '14 at 20:42
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    I'm sorry but I don't understand how can you use this to move a class into another namespace – gyozo kudor Nov 25 '14 at 07:53
31

As mentioned in the comments, this answer is now outdated. Please see the up-to-date answer below

Resharper is the only tool I am aware of what has this ability. There is also a lot of other functionality that it has that is missing in CodeRush and Refactor!

Josh
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    For the most part I really like the DevExpress tools, but the ability to move files seems like such a simple feature that I'm surprised its missing. I've been meaning to test drive Resharper for awhile, maybe its time... – Seth Petry-Johnson Oct 06 '08 at 18:57
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    ReSharper is way cleaner - doesn't add tons of colourful garbage to my source code. – Dmitri Nesteruk Dec 03 '08 at 09:38
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    @dmitri - yeah, it does get noisy, especially when you run both, like me ;p You can turn of painting in options if that is what bothers you. – Sky Sanders Feb 14 '10 at 02:36
  • The answer is not true currently, for VS 2019 solution see for instance this [answer below](https://stackoverflow.com/a/55782663/479251) – Pac0 May 04 '20 at 13:16
10

This answer applies to at least Visual Studio 2013 and 2015 with no resharper required

  1. Move class files to new folder
  2. Open 'Find and replace'
  3. Select 'Replace in Files'
  4. Type the original namespace definition in the 'Find what' field eg. MyCorp.AppStuff.Api
  5. Type the new namespace definition in the 'Replace with' field eg. MyCorp.AppStuff.Api.Extensions
  6. Select the new folder using the 'Look in' field's browse button ..., or type the folder path
  7. Press the Replace All button
Gusdor
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    This only works if you don't move something from one namespace (which you still want to use) to another. This basically only works if you completely rename a namespace. – Blackclaws Oct 23 '17 at 18:08
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    @Blackclaws I feel like steps 1 and 6 cover that – Gusdor Oct 23 '17 at 18:14
  • Ah I see what you mean. Since you only replace in that new folder you wouldn't change all mentions of that name. However it might still leave you dangling with a ton of undefined references, since all classes using that class will have to have their using directives updated... I really wish they just implemented such a feature already. – Blackclaws Oct 24 '17 at 14:08
  • @Blackclaws me too. Id use resharper but I find it changes too much – Gusdor Oct 24 '17 at 15:38
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    If you have mix of namespaces in single folder, match by regex starting from word `namespace`. – Dzmitry Lahoda Jun 05 '18 at 15:55
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There are partial solutions for VS 2015 & VS 2017 without Resharper using free extensions.

One extension which I like today (end of 2017) is the Fix Namespace VS Extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vs-publisher-599079.FixNamespace#overview

It analyses the folder structure of your solution and offers namespace refactoring using that. Unfortunately it isn't perfect: It doesn't track dependencies that well, but solved the lion's share of the work for me.

Ádám Miklósi
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2

With Resharper: CTRL+R+O

Then press the down arrow key twice to select Move Type To Another Namespace.

Marco Lackovic
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1

Since the answer above was provided (I'm guessing) this feature has been added to CodeRush. Just place the carat on the Type to be moved and you'll see a Move Type to Namespace option on the Refactor! context menu. This will move the type to the new namespace and update references. You may still want to move the file to a solution folder that matches the name of the namespace though.

nzduck
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    Not in Visual Studio 2013 Professional. Are you using Resharper by chance? – yoyo Oct 24 '14 at 20:43
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    I'm referring to the CodeRush/Refactor! context menu, not Visual Studio's. – nzduck Oct 26 '14 at 04:50
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    Ah, sorry, didn't realize that at first. Perhaps edit your answer to clarify, since stock Visual Studio *does* have a "Refactor" feature (not that it's very powerful or anything :-P ...). – yoyo Oct 27 '14 at 04:03
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    I don't understand why VS doesn't have features like this. Are they so far into bed with JetBrains or something? – Luke May 07 '15 at 08:19
0

It's not the best outcome but can be done without plugins or tools, only with Visual Studio. Find and replace in Entire Solution, Match case, Match whole word. Find what: class name, Replace with: New.Namespace.ClassName (fully qualified class name).

If you have 100+ references of the moved class and other classes in old namespace what are not moved this is the only foolproof and free solution I found. The only case when it leads to errors is when you have same class name in other namespace.

user3285954
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-2

If you cannot, or do not want to use Re$harper, Notepad++ is your friend:

  1. Make sure you don't have usaved changes inside Visual Studio for the files you need to move to the new namespace
  2. Open all the files that contain the namespace that needs to be changed in Notepad++
  3. Open Find & Replace (CTRL + H)
  4. Fill the Find what and Replace with fields
  5. Press Replace All in All Opened Documents
  6. Save all changes in all documents (CTRL + SHIFT + S)
  7. Switch to Visual Studio and reload all the documents (Yes to all at the prompt)

DONE

Gusdor
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Sergio
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  • Why would I open the files in Notepad++ or any editor when I already have them in Visual Studio where I can use find and replace in entire solution? Another problem with this solution is that it will change usings what may be needed for other classes in the same namespace. – user3285954 Aug 06 '19 at 22:38
  • Not at all, since you can replace `namespace A.B.C` with `namespace X.Y.Z` without impacting `using`s. The solution is valid, even though you can do it using Visual Studio I don't remember why 2 years ago I proposed this. Anyway, downvoting seems kinda aggressive since this answer is not misleading nor dangerous. – Sergio Aug 06 '19 at 22:55
  • Assume you have classes A and B in namespace Foo.Bar, and A is moved to Foo.Baz. If I understand correct your proposal is to replace "using Foo.Bar" with "using Foo.Baz". The result of this replace is that class B will not be found so one will have to add "using Foo.Bar" manually, so the replace didn't solve the issue of how to avoid manual update. – user3285954 Aug 07 '19 at 20:46