Accessing a Namespace From a Seperate File

[balabaster]

So basically, the manner in which I would like to use the variable is impossible because that is pretty much the reason for classes. Variables with the same name but that are in different classes are completely different.

I am going to try a few things, then post what I come up with to get the end results that I want.

I think you didn't quite interpret my post in the manner I intended. I didn't mean for it to imply you couldn't do what you were attempting - I was highlighting the different declaration types. If you want to reference your variable in a manner such as shared you would declare it as public shared rather than just public...in the same way as you would declare a public shared function/sub.

File1.vb

Namespace MyNamespace
  Public Class MyDemoClass
    Public Shared MyDataVariable As String
  End Class
End Namespace

File2.vb

Imports MyNamespace
Public Class MyForm
  Public Sub Loaded(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
  Handles Me.Load
    MyDemoClass.MyDataVariable="Hello World"
    MsgBox MyDemoClass.MyDataVariable
  End Sub
End Class

I have to say though, I don't think this is very good coding practice. I'm dubious as to the safety of using this method. The whole concept of object oriented programming is encapsulation and as such a variable or field within that class shouldn't be accessible from other classes except via a property exposing it. A class really has very little business exposing a variable in this manner. This technique should be reserved for calling variables from within modules (which is the technique I demonstrate below)...at least, that's my take on the subject.

File1.vb

Namespace MyNamespace
    Public Module HelperModule
        Public MyParam As String
    End Module
End Namespace

File2.vb

Imports MyNamespace
Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Loaded(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
    Handles MyBase.Load
        HelperModule.MyParam = "Hello World"
        MsgBox(HelperModule.MyParam)
    End Sub
End Class