Bug ID: JDK-4194542 class name aliasing

Name: diC59631			Date: 12/03/98


Obviously the two below operations will not
compile in the same java file.

import java.util.Date ;
import java.sql.Date ;

It would be nice to alias one such as below:

import java.util.Date ;
import java.sql.Date as SqlDate ;

Date    => java.util.Date
SqlDate => java.sql.Date

This way instead of leaving out the
import java.sql.Date line and having to
fully qualify the SQL Date class for every
usage, you'd only have to use the SqlDate
alias.

This becomes a much larger issue with package
names like:
  com.fake1.western.division.plane.Fuel ;
  com.fake2.tiger.landbased.vehicle.Fuel ;

Especially when you need to use both types of
Fuel, but can only use the shortend version
for one of them at most.

"import .. as .." is not a new concept, and
I'm surprised that it wasn't incorporated into
the language specification from the beginning.
(Review ID: 43613)
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An alternative syntax is proposed in RFE 4478140:

import jlang=java.lang.*;
alias jlang=java.lang;

The need for an extra keyword is not clear.

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