C# 5.0 All-in-One For Dummies

Chapter 10: Can I Use Your Namespace in the Library?

In This Chapter

Dealing with separately compiled assemblies

Writing a class library

Using more access-control keywords: protected, internal, protected internal

Working with namespaces

C# gives you a variety of ways to break code into meaningful, workable units.

You can use a method to divide a long string of code into separate, maintainable units. Use the class structure to group both data and methods in meaningful ways to further reduce the complexity of the program. Programs are complex already, and humans become confused easily, so we need all the help we can get.

C# provides another level of grouping: You can group similar classes into a separate library. Beyond writing your own libraries, you can use anybody’s libraries in your programs. These programs contain multiple modules known as assemblies. I describe libraries and assemblies in this chapter.

Meanwhile, the access-control story in Chapter 5 of this minibook leaves a few untidy loose ends — the protected, internal, and protected internal keywords — and is slightly complicated ...