#12693: Relax qualified import syntax -------------------------------------+------------------------------------- Reporter: cblp | Owner: Type: feature | Status: new request | Priority: normal | Milestone: Component: Compiler | Version: 8.0.1 (Parser) | Keywords: import, | Operating System: Unknown/Multiple qualified, syntax | Architecture: | Type of failure: None/Unknown Unknown/Multiple | Test Case: | Blocked By: Blocking: | Related Tickets: 10478 Differential Rev(s): | Wiki Page: -------------------------------------+------------------------------------- = Problem = Case 1. {{{#!hs import Data.HashMap (HashMap) import qualified Data.HashMap as HashMap import Data.Map (Map) import qualified Data.Map as Map import Data.Set (Set) import qualified Data.Set as Set import Data.Text (Text) import qualified Data.Text as Text }}} Module names start in different columns, so the user cannot search it without help of tools, so the code is unreadable. Case 2. {{{#!hs import Data.HashMap (HashMap) import qualified Data.HashMap as HashMap import Data.Map (Map) import qualified Data.Map as Map import Data.Set (Set) import qualified Data.Set as Set import Data.Text (Text) import qualified Data.Text as Text }}} Too many space used, too less space left for imported items list, too hard to maintain without special tools. = Proposal = Allow to write `qualified` keyword after module name: {{{#!hs import Data.HashMap (HashMap) import Data.HashMap qualified as HashMap import Data.Map (Map) import Data.Map qualified as Map import Data.Set (Set) import Data.Set qualified as Set import Data.Text (Text) import Data.Text qualified as Text }}} All the problems solved! This proposal looks a little like ShorterImportSyntax and #10478, but differs from them in such ways: 1. It doesn't actually make imports shorter in visible symbols, only in lines used (in case of very long imported items list), a little. 2. It doesn't introduce new syntax constructions looking like existing but doing other things. 3. It is easy to implement and understand. 4. It looks more natural from the point of view of English language. -- Ticket URL: http://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/12693 GHC http://www.haskell.org/ghc/ The Glasgow Haskell Compiler