ReSharper 2018.1 Help

Importing Missing Namespaces

When you use types whose namespaces have not been imported in the file, ReSharper helps you locate these types and add the missing namespace import directives. If there are several missing namespaces for an unresolved type, e.g. after you paste a block of code in the file, ReSharper would help you import all these namespaces in a single action.

ReSharper looks for non-imported namespaces in the following assemblies: assemblies referenced in the current project, assemblies referenced in other projects in the solution, assemblies that are referenced transitively. If the type is found in an module that is not referenced in the current project, ReSharper also suggests adding a reference to this module.

The missing namespaces are imported according to your namespace import preferences (e.g. import directives are inserted or type names qualifiers are added).
The import directives are added in a fixed order: all System.* namespaces go first, sorted alphabetically by the second word after the dot; all other namespaces go next, in alphabetical order.

When you edit a code file, types with missing namespaces are detected with the design-time code inspection (so make sure that it is enabled) and highlighted as errors. By default, the action that imports missing namespaces differs from the normal quick-fix: it is displayed as a pop-up that hovers either over the first unresolved symbol regardless of your caret position:

Namespace import quick-fix
or after a pasted code bock:
Namespace import fix for pasted code block
Thus, you can apply this fix for all unresolved types with the habitual Alt+Enter shortcut without changing your current caret position, so your editing session is not interrupted. Note that the Import types for pasted code action only appears if all non-imported types in the pasted code block can be unambiguously found in the referenced modules of the current project.

In case several namespace contain the unresolved symbol, ReSharper lets you choose the namespace to import:

Coding Assistance Importing Namespace 02

If for some reason you chose not to import a required namespace when the pop-up was displayed, just press Esc to hide the pop-up. You can import the namespace any time later by pressing Alt+Enter, and choosing the corresponding quick-fix.

You can also chose not to show this pop-up at all by clearing the Show the "Import namespace" action using popup check box on the Code Inspection | Settings page of ReSharper options. In these cases, you can import missing namespaces for unresolved types at any time by putting the caret at the non-imported type, pressing Alt+Enter, and choosing the desired quick-fix:

Normal quick-fixes for missing namespace import

This feature is supported in the following languages and technologies:

Language: C# Language: VB.NET Language: C++ Language: HTML Language: ASP.NET Language: Razor Language: JavaScript Language: TypeScript Language: CSS Language: XML Language: XAML Language: Resx Language: Build Scripts Language: Protobuf Language: JSON
Feature is available Feature is available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is available Feature is available Feature is not available Feature is available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is not available Feature is not available

The instructions and examples given here address the use of the feature in C#. For details specific to other languages, see corresponding topics in the ReSharper by Language section.

Last modified: 20 August 2018

See Also