Category: C# Programming

C# .Net Programming articles to help you learn C# including tips, hints and solutions for nagging C# development issues.

C# Error: The type or namespace name ‘List’ could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

OMG are your Kidding Me!

OK, I just spent an hour on this thing while trying to get started on another Tim Corey C# Developer tutorial for creating Microsoft Excel files.

When creating a custom model/object for your C# project and try to use it to build a List that made of that custom object type, you’ll be greeted with an error.

C# Error CS0246: The type or namespace name ‘List<>’ could not be found

Error: The type or namespace name ‘List’ could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) 

Error seen when creating a List of custom objects without using including the using generics statement.

The missing element is a reference to using System.Collections.Generic

Code Example

using OfficeOpenXml;
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Collections.Generic;


namespace ExcelDemo
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            //Set the EPPlus license context to nonCommercial so we can play with it :-)
            ExcelPackage.LicenseContext = LicenseContext.NonCommercial;
            var file = new FileInfo(@"c:\scripts\demo.xlsx");
        }

     static List<PersonModel> GetSetupData() 
        {
            List<PersonModel> output = new()
            {
                new() { Id = 1, FirstName= "rick", LastName = "cable" },
                new() { Id = 2, FirstName="bob",LastName= "marley" },
                new() { Id = 3, FirstName="willie",LastName= "nelson" }
            };

            return output;
        }
    }
}

References

As always, give credit where credit is due. In this case, a big thank you to David Morton for the post on the Microsoft Visual Studio forums.

I hope this blog post helps somebody!

–Cyber Abyss!

C# Generics: Digesting Tim Corey’s C# Generics Video

C# Generics: Digesting Tim Corey’s C# Generics Video

Tonight, I’m completing a learning session on C# Generics. I’m using Tim Corey’s YouTube video on C# Generics as my tutorial.

You can get all the files to go along with Tim Corey’s C# Generics video at Time’s web site for the cost of providing Tim with your email address for his email list. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Below is Corey’s Video. Watch it, then if you’re still interested. My personal training notes will be shared below. It might help you if you’re feeling stuck or want to cement an idea in your own mind.

Tim Corey’s C# Generics Video

Re-post: C# Programming – ASCII XMas Tree w/ Code Example

This is re-post from an article I originally posted 10 years ago on 11/18/2009. I still see a bit of traffic from it so it stays on the blog.

I’m guessing the web traffic for this article is coming from programming students who have received ASCII XMas Tree as a coding project.

The original title was: Introduction to C# Programming: ASCII XMas Tree – C# and .Net Sample Project.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

C#, pronounced C Sharp, is a relatively new programming language from Microsoft that was designed to take full advantage of the new .Net Framework.

Below is a sample project I did for a programming class I’m attending at MJC in Modesto. To test and run the code listed on this site you should download a free copy of Microsoft Visual C# Express 2005. There are four Visual Studio Express versions available for free from Microsoft, Visual Basic, C#, J# and C++.

The xmas tree project was a good idea. It really makes you think. I think this project could have been a little more fun for me if I had a little more time but my schedule just won’t allow it. I don’t see myself coming back to often to update this code but if others want to sent me some other samples I may post them later. So here it goes….

Screenshot of command line window.

C# ASCII XMas Tree Code Sample

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            //create the main array
            int[] myArray = new int[] { 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 };

            //The outside foreach loop to loop throught the array
            foreach (int intLoop in myArray)
            {
                //creates the spaces, takes the array number minus 1 then divide by 2
                //this gives you the amount of spaces needed for each level of the tree
                 for (int iSpace = 0; iSpace < ((myArray[4]-intLoop)/2); iSpace++)
                {
                    System.Console.Write(" ");
                }               
                //middle loop writes the asterisks "*" the full amount of current array[]

                for (int i = 0;i < intLoop; i++)
                {               
                System.Console.Write("*");
             }
                //creates the spaces, takes the array number minus 1 then divide by 2
                //this gives you the amount of spaces needed for each level of the tree
              for (int iSpace = 0; iSpace < ((myArray[4] - intLoop) / 2); iSpace++)
             {
                 System.Console.Write(" ");
             }

            //creates new lines after all 3 loops run

             System.Console.WriteLine("");
            }
            //nest this loop and do it 3 times
            for (int iBase = 0; iBase < myArray[1]; iBase++)
            {
                // now make the base of the tree
                for (int iSpaces = 0; iSpaces < myArray[1]; iSpaces++)
                {
                    System.Console.Write(" ");
                }
                for (int iPipes = 0; iPipes < myArray[1]; iPipes++)
                {
                    System.Console.Write("|");
                }
                // now make the base of the tree
                for (int iSpaces = 0; iSpaces < myArray[1]; iSpaces++)
                {
                    System.Console.Write(" ");
                }
                  //creates new lines after all 3 loops run
                    System.Console.WriteLine("");
            }
        }
    }
}