[% setvar title Proposal to rename C<import> and C<unimport> %]
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<a name='TITLE'></a><h1>TITLE</h1>
<p>Proposal to rename <code>import</code> and <code>unimport</code></p>
<a name='VERSION'></a><h1>VERSION</h1>
<pre>  Maintainer: Jonathan Scott Duff &lt;<a href='mailto:duff@pobox.com'>duff@pobox.com</a>&gt;
  Date: 8 Aug 2000
  Last Modified: 1 Sep 2000
  Mailing List: <a href='mailto:perl6-language@perl.org'>perl6-language@perl.org</a>
  Number: 74
  Version: 3
  Status: Developing</pre>
<a name='ABSTRACT'></a><h1>ABSTRACT</h1>
<p><code>import()</code> and <code>unimport</code> should be <code>IMPORT</code> and <code>UNIMPORT</code>
respectively, in keeping with all of the other special-to-Perl names.</p>
<a name='DESCRIPTION'></a><h1>DESCRIPTION</h1>
<p>The Perl documentation says that</p>
<pre>	use Module LIST;</pre>
<p>is equivalent to</p>
<pre>	BEGIN { require Module; import Module LIST; }</pre>
<p>so that <code>use Module LIST</code> automatically calls the <code>import</code> routine
for that module if it exists.  Thus <code>import</code> is a routine that has
special meaning to Perl.  This RFC proposes that <code>import</code> and <code>unimport</code>
be renamed to <code>IMPORT</code> and <code>UNIMPORT</code> respectively.  This would be
consistent with the naming of all other subroutines that are special
to Perl.</p>
<p>Nathan Wiger &lt;<a href='mailto:nate@wiger.org'>nate@wiger.org</a>&gt; suggests that we create an <code>import</code>
keyword (and I assume an <code>unimport</code> keyword as well) that calls
<code>import Module LIST</code>.  The author of this RFC would rather not add
new keywords.  However, I see no reason why the <b>module</b> author
should not provide an <code>import()</code> routine that is simply an alias for
<code>IMPORT()</code>.</p>
<a name='IMPLEMENTATION'></a><h1>IMPLEMENTATION</h1>
<p>Just change the names!</p>
<a name='MIGRATION'></a><h1>MIGRATION</h1>
<p>The Perl5 -&gt; Perl6 translator should provide a <code>import</code> alias for the
<code>IMPORT</code> routine to ease migration.  Likewise for <code>unimport</code>.</p>
<a name='REFERENCES'></a><h1>REFERENCES</h1>
<p>Perl 5.6.0 documentation</p>
<p>RFC 59: Proposal to utilize <code>*</code> as the prefix to magic subroutines</p>
<p>Email from Nathan Wiger &lt;<a href='mailto:nate@wiger.org'>nate@wiger.org</a>&gt; that went to perl6-language
but I can't find at www.mail-archive.com  :-(</p>
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