directive

alias/2

Description

alias(Entity, [Name/Arity as Alias/Arity, ...])
alias(Entity, [Name//Arity as Alias//Arity, ...])

Declares predicate and grammar rule non-terminal aliases. A predicate (non-terminal) alias is an alternative name for a predicate (non-terminal) declared or defined in an extended protocol, an implemented protocol, an extended category, an imported category, an extended prototype, an instantiated class, or a specialized class. Predicate aliases may be used to solve conflicts between imported or inherited predicates. It may also be used to give a predicate (non-terminal) a name more appropriate in its usage context. This directive may be used in objects, protocols, and categories.

Predicate (and non-terminal) aliases are specified using (preferably) the notation Name/Arity as Alias/Arity or, in alternative, the notation Name/Arity::Alias/Arity.

It is also possible to declare predicate and grammar rule non-terminal aliases in implicit qualification directives for sending messages to objects and calling module predicates.

Template and modes

alias(@entity_identifier, +list(predicate_indicator_alias))
alias(@entity_identifier, +list(non_terminal_indicator_alias))

Examples

% resolve a predicate name conflict:
:- alias(list, [member/2 as list_member/2]).
:- alias(set,  [member/2 as set_member/2]).

% define an alternative name for a non-terminal:
:- alias(words, [singular//0 as peculiar//0]).

See also

uses/2, use_module/2, uses/1