Global

Article
11/16/2012

Allows you to access a .NET Framework programming element when you have blocked it with your namespace structure.

Remarks

If you have defined a nested hierarchy of namespaces, code inside that hierarchy might be blocked from accessing the System namespace of the .NET Framework. The following example illustrates a hierarchy in which the SpecialSpace.System namespace blocks access to System.

Namespace SpecialSpace
    Namespace System
        Class abc
            Function getValue() As System.Int32
                Dim n As System.Int32
                Return n
            End Function
        End Class
    End Namespace
End Namespace

As a result, the Visual Basic compiler cannot successfully resolve the reference to System.Int32, because SpecialSpace.System does not define Int32. You can use the Global keyword to start the qualification chain at the outermost level of the .NET Framework class library. This allows you to specify the System namespace or any other namespace in the class library. The following example illustrates this.

Namespace SpecialSpace
    Namespace System
        Class abc
            Function getValue() As Global.System.Int32
                Dim n As Global.System.Int32
                Return n
            End Function
        End Class
    End Namespace
End Namespace

You can use Global to access other root-level namespaces, such as Microsoft.VisualBasic, and any namespace associated with your project.

The Global keyword can be used in these contexts:

Class Statement (Visual Basic)

Const Statement (Visual Basic)

Declare Statement

Delegate Statement

Dim Statement (Visual Basic)

Enum Statement (Visual Basic)

Event Statement

For...Next Statement (Visual Basic)

For Each...Next Statement (Visual Basic)

Function Statement (Visual Basic)