How to Import Other Namespaces into Visual C#?

Question

Sorry if my question seems a little noobish but I can't find an answer. I would like to use DirectInput for my XNA game. I've read around and it seems this is the best way to get input from a gamepad other than a XBox 360 controller. The first step is to include the Microsoft.DirectX.DirectInput namespace however I don't quite know how. Simply putting it in at the beginning of my class doesn't work, visual C# doesn't recognize it.

This got me thinking should I download the DirectX SDK? There is alot of stuff in there and the file is big how do I just download the single namespace? Is this even possible? If I can download the single namespace where do I put the file?

Now you can see all the questions racking around in my brain. So how do I make visual C# recognize the Microsoft.DirectX.DirectInput namespace so I can use the methods, properties and all that good stuff?

Thanks!

You could also look at using SlimDX for a nice managed wrapper for DirectInput. — George Clingerman, Feb 19 '12 at 03:44

phoog · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-17T23:24:32.590

You need to set a reference to the DLL containing the code library you'd like to use. Presumably that's part of the SDK, so yes, you should download it. Then, in Visual Studio

open the solution explorer
open the project where you want to use the library
right-click the references node for that project
choose "add reference"
navigate to and select the dll

Once you've added the reference successfully, VS should recognize the using directive (and any types you've used from the assembly).

Note that references are made to assemblies; assemblies are not the same as namespaces. Beginners often confuse the two. Types that are defined in different assemblies can be in the same namespace; the BCL has dozens of examples of this.

Furthermore, the "using" directive doesn't cause anything to be loaded or anything like that; it just allows you to specify types without fully qualifying the names. In fact, it's possible to code in C# without ever using a using directive. For example, the following code files are equivalent:

using System.Collections.Generic;
public static class Collector
{
    public static ICollection<T> Collect(IEnumerable<T> enumerable)
    {
        return new List<T>(enumerable);
    }
}

AND

public static class Collector
{
    public static System.Collections.Generic.ICollection<T> Collect(System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<T> enumerable)
    {
        return new System.Collections.Generic.List<T>(enumerable);
    }
}

I've installed the SDK and when I follow these steps a message pops up saying "A reference to the "....dll" could not be added.Please make sure that the file is accessible and that it is a valid assembly or COM component." Do you know how I can resolve this? I know it's possible because this guy did it. Look at the second line in his code. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5604492/how-to-use-directx-directinput-in-xna — MrSplosion, Feb 18 '12 at 01:30

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 17 '12 at 23:16

1

Download the SDK. It will not be redistributed with your app.. but everything you need to dev DirectX apps will be included in there. When installed there will be new entries in the "Add Reference" dialog.

answered Feb 17 '12 at 23:16

Sam Axe

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 17 '12 at 23:17

0

In order to leverage DirectX you will need to download the SDK.

It is simply not possible to download a part of it. Even if it was, I would never recommend doing that.

answered Feb 17 '12 at 23:17

NotMe

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How to Import Other Namespaces into Visual C#?

3 Answers3