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 appropriated 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