Corey Roth [MVP]

Although creating a class outside of a namespace is probably considered bad form, in .NET 2.0 there is actually a way to access it.

namespace Blah
{
  class Class1
  {
    public void MyMethod()
    {
       // reference using the global keyword
       global::Class2 myClass2 = new global::Class2();
       myClass2.MyMethod();
    }
  }
}

public class Class2
{
  public void MyMethod()
  {
    // do something
  }
}

You will notice that Class2 is not included in the namespace of blah. Before, it would be rather difficult to make a call to that class. It might not have even compiled, I am not sure. Well, now with the use of global::, you are able to make a call to that class.

I have more included this information, not because you will use it, but in case you run into it some place in the future.

Also if you are wondering where else you have seen global::, it is also used in the reference.cs of web services inside class libraries.

global:: used in Web Service Proxies

Read the complete post at http://www.dotnettipoftheday.com/blog.aspx?id=238