• Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> Apr 12 2008
• Walter Bright <newshound1 digitalmars.com> Apr 13 2008
• Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> Apr 13 2008
• Walter Bright <newshound1 digitalmars.com> Apr 14 2008
• Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> Apr 14 2008

Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> writes:

I am trying to understand the difference between and alias type and an 
alias declaration.

Is the distinction such that if the next token after 'alias' is a type, 
then the alias always refers to the full type including that token 
before the final alias name, but if the next token after 'alias' is not 
a type then the alias always refers to the complete declaration before 
the final alias name ? Or is there some other rule that determines 
whether or not an alias is an alias for a type as opposed to an alias 
for a declaration ?

Walter Bright <newshound1 digitalmars.com> writes:

Edward Diener wrote:
 I am trying to understand the difference between and alias type and an 
 alias declaration.


An alias type works analogously to C's typedef. An alias declaration 
gives an alternate name for any other name, like:

     alias foo.bar baz;

is sort of equivalent to the C:

     #define baz foo.bar

 Is the distinction such that if the next token after 'alias' is a type, 
 then the alias always refers to the full type including that token 
 before the final alias name, but if the next token after 'alias' is not 
 a type then the alias always refers to the complete declaration before 
 the final alias name ?


Right.

Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> writes:

Walter Bright wrote:
 Edward Diener wrote:
 I am trying to understand the difference between and alias type and an 
 alias declaration.


 An alias type works analogously to C's typedef. An alias declaration 
 gives an alternate name for any other name, like:
 
     alias foo.bar baz;
 
 is sort of equivalent to the C:
 
     #define baz foo.bar


OK, so an alias creates a compile-time symbol which stands for another 
symbol, as long as the symbol it stands for is not an expression but a 
declaration instead.

 
 Is the distinction such that if the next token after 'alias' is a 
 type, then the alias always refers to the full type including that 
 token before the final alias name, but if the next token after 'alias' 
 is not a type then the alias always refers to the complete declaration 
 before the final alias name ?


 Right.


Thanks ! Appreciated !

Walter Bright <newshound1 digitalmars.com> writes:

Edward Diener wrote:
 Walter Bright wrote:
 Edward Diener wrote:
 I am trying to understand the difference between and alias type and 
 an alias declaration.


 An alias type works analogously to C's typedef. An alias declaration 
 gives an alternate name for any other name, like:

     alias foo.bar baz;

 is sort of equivalent to the C:

     #define baz foo.bar


 OK, so an alias creates a compile-time symbol which stands for another 
 symbol, as long as the symbol it stands for is not an expression but a 
 declaration instead.


Right. You can alias any symbol - other aliases, variable names, module 
names, function names, template names, struct names, etc.

Edward Diener <eddielee_no_spam_here tropicsoft.com> writes:

Walter Bright wrote:
 Edward Diener wrote:
 Walter Bright wrote:
 Edward Diener wrote:
 I am trying to understand the difference between and alias type and 
 an alias declaration.


 An alias type works analogously to C's typedef. An alias declaration 
 gives an alternate name for any other name, like:

     alias foo.bar baz;

 is sort of equivalent to the C:

     #define baz foo.bar


 OK, so an alias creates a compile-time symbol which stands for another 
 symbol, as long as the symbol it stands for is not an expression but a 
 declaration instead.


 Right. You can alias any symbol - other aliases, variable names, module 
 names, function names, template names, struct names, etc.


Got it now. Thanks !