Is there a way to set a Module to behave like a static class?

Question

This questions is for VBers, it's irrelevant in C#.

In VB, when you create a module, all it's fucntions and members are available in the scope without need to type the module name, just like all the VB functions (Rnd, Mid, IIf etc.).

I want to create a module but I should have to explicitly write it's name to access it's members, i.e. it shouldn't be loaded to the scope like a namespace.

Update

For example, I have a Module of extension methods, I don't want all it's members to show up on the scope and in the intellisense.

I want it to be available only by instance.ExtensionMethod().

Any ideas?

Answer 1

You could just add it to another namespace. I.e. if you want to call Foo.Bar and you have a module called FooModule, put it in a namespace called Foo.

Or... just have a regular class with a bunch of shared methods.

Answer 2

Just add a namespace around the module:

Namespace MyModule

  Module MyModule

    Sub MyMethod()
    End Sub

  End Module

End Namespace

(Oh, and I'm not a VB:er... ;) )

Answer 3

If you create a Class instead of a Module then VB.NET will insist you use the class name. For example:

Public MustInherit Class Utils
  Public Shared Function Sqr(ByVal arg As Double) As Double
    Return arg * arg
  End Function
End Class
...
Dim result As Double = Utils.Sqr(42) 'Utils required

It is hardly necessary, but you can prevent anyone from inheriting this class by adding a private constructor.

---

Update

To avoid extension methods from polluting the global namespace in IntelliSense. I found a rather unexpected workaround for this:

Imports System.Runtime.CompilerServices
Imports System.ComponentModel

<EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Never)> _
Module Extensions
  <Extension()> _
  Public Sub Method(ByVal obj As ExampleClass)
  End Sub
End Module