• DigitalDesigns (42/42) Jun 10 2018 Suppose you have a large source file. You use functions from
• DigitalDesigns (7/7) Jun 10 2018 another interesting syntax:

DigitalDesigns <DigitalDesigns gmail.com> writes:

Suppose you have a large source file. You use functions from 
outside libraries that use other components not directly in their 
own library:

module X
import Foo : foo;
auto x = foo();


module Foo;
import F : I;
I foo();


module F;
interface I;
class f : I;
alias Q = I;
f bar(f);

now, remember that Foo.foo returns an F.f in X. Auto saves the 
day because we don't have to explicitly state the type. This 
allows us to avoid importing F.

But suppose we want to cast the return value to f even though 
it's an I.

auto x = cast(f)foo();


Now we have to import the module F! auto does save us any more.


What the compiler should do is notice that it can implicitly 
import f. Why? Because it could implicitly import I and there is 
no ambiguity.

Notice that there is absolutely no difference in the analysis by 
the compile between these two:

auto x = foo();
auto x = cast(Q)foo();  // Note that the module of foo is known, 
and so Q can be deduced. That is, If no Q exists in the current 
scope then try the module of foo's return type(f), if not found 
try foo's module(F).


But with the explicit cast we have to import Q. But don't you 
think that once the compiler knows the module it can just chain 
it along as if it were imported explicitly?


auto x = foo();
x.bar(x);  // bar is known because x is from module F and bar is 
also from F. It is "implicitly" imported. If bar already exists 
in the imports then an error is given. The user an use an alias 
to get around the problem as usual.


This feature will allow one to avoid having to import modules 
explicitly when the compiler can easily deduce the modules 
without ambiguity.

DigitalDesigns <DigitalDesigns gmail.com> writes:

another interesting syntax:

import [] : std.algorithm, std.math;

Does implicit importing on all arrays.

int[] x;

x.canFind(x[0]);   // does implicit import for canFind!


At some point we might even be able to get away from 90% of 
importing.