C# @ in enum generated classes from XSD

Question

Using xsd.exe I've got an enum which has an @ symbol in front of one of the elements. I can't work out why, and I can't work out what it's for or what it means. Searching Google for a symbol isn't terribly productive.

Original XSD fragment:

  <xs:simpleType name="stopLocation">
    <xs:restriction base="xs:string">
      <xs:enumeration value="default"/>
      <xs:enumeration value="near"/>
      <xs:enumeration value="far"/>
      <xs:enumeration value="nearExact"/>
      <xs:enumeration value="farExact"/>
    </xs:restriction>
  </xs:simpleType>

Generated class fragment:

public enum stopLocation {
    @default,
    near,
    far,
    nearExact,
    farExact,
}

(Yes, the final element has a comma which VS seems happy with)

Thanks.

Answer 1

It escapes the default keyword from C#.

See this question: What's the use/meaning of the @ character in variable names in C#?

Answer 2

This is happening because the enum value name (default) is a reserved word. In C# reserved words must be appended with an @ so the compiler knows how to interpret them.

You would see the same behavior with a name like 'event' or 'public'.