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#using directive (C++/CLI)

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Imports metadata into a program compiled with /clr.

Syntax

#using file [as_friend]

Parameters

file
A Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL) .dll, .exe, .netmodule, or .obj file. For example,

#using <MyComponent.dll>

as_friend
Specifies that all types in file are accessible. For more information, see Friend Assemblies (C++).

Remarks

file can be a Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL) file that you import for its managed data and managed constructs. If a DLL contains an assembly manifest, then all the DLLs referenced in the manifest are imported. The assembly you're building will list file in the metadata as an assembly reference.

Perhaps file doesn't contain an assembly (file is a module), and you don't intend to use type information from the module in the current (assembly) application. You may indicate the module is part of the assembly by using /ASSEMBLYMODULE. The types in the module would then be available to any application that referenced the assembly.

An alternative to use #using is the /FU compiler option.

.exe assemblies passed to #using should be compiled by using one of the .NET Visual Studio compilers (Visual Basic or Visual C#, for example). Attempting to import metadata from an .exe assembly compiled with /clr will result in a file load exception.

Note

A component that is referenced with #using can be run with a different version of the file imported at compile time, causing a client application to give unexpected results.

In order for the compiler to recognize a type in an assembly (not a module), it needs to be forced to resolve the type. You can force it, for example, by defining an instance of the type. There are other ways to resolve type names in an assembly for the compiler. For example, if you inherit from a type in an assembly, the type name becomes known to the compiler.

When importing metadata built from source code that used __declspec(thread), the thread semantics aren't persisted in metadata. For example, a variable declared with __declspec(thread), compiled in a program that is built for the .NET Framework common language runtime, and then imported via #using, won't have __declspec(thread) semantics on the variable.

All imported types (both managed and native) in a file referenced by #using are available, but the compiler treats native types as declarations, not definitions.

mscorlib.dll is automatically referenced when compiling with /clr.

The LIBPATH environment variable specifies the directories to search when the compiler resolves file names passed to #using.

The compiler searches for references along the following path:

  • A path specified in the #using statement.

  • The current directory.

  • The .NET Framework system directory.

  • Directories added with the /AI compiler option.

  • Directories on LIBPATH environment variable.

Examples

You can build an assembly that references a second assembly that itself references a third assembly. You only have to explicitly reference the third assembly from the first one if you explicitly use one of its types.

Source file using_assembly_A.cpp:

// using_assembly_A.cpp
// compile with: /clr /LD
public ref class A {};

Source file using_assembly_B.cpp:

// using_assembly_B.cpp
// compile with: /clr /LD
#using "using_assembly_A.dll"
public ref class B {
public:
   void Test(A a) {}
   void Test() {}
};

In the following sample, the compiler doesn't report an error about referencing using_assembly_A.dll, because the program doesn't use any of the types defined in using_assembly_A.cpp.

// using_assembly_C.cpp
// compile with: /clr
#using "using_assembly_B.dll"
int main() {
   B b;
   b.Test();
}

See also

Preprocessor directives