uses X as Y unit-rename import (dialect extension)

• Type: idea
• Status: rainy-day
• Owner: —
• Opened: 2026-06-06 (from todo.md §4)

Motivation

A unit-rename import is missing. uses X as Y is not standard Pascal (that's C#/Python as); Delphi has uses U in 'file' + dotted namespaces but no rename-import. A rename would be a deliberate dialect extension.

Open questions

• Is the ergonomic win worth a non-standard uses form?
• Interaction with qualified UnitName.Symbol lookup (already works).
• Syntax: uses X as Y vs something less Python-flavored.

Frontend parity note (2026-06-18)

The same capability is missing on both frontends, and would land as one feature if adopted:

• Pascal: no uses X as Y (idea only).
• Nil Python: import X works (rewritten to uses), but import X as Y (alias) and from X import Y are not supported — pyparser takes only import name[, name].

There is no as-for-import AST node anywhere; import/uses just feed names to the unit resolver. (Confirms the as token is free for the is/as type-cast — the only other as is the contextual ident in specialize ... as Name.)

Status

Idea only — decide whether to adopt before scoping. Not standard; no current source needs it. If adopted, cover both the Pascal uses and Python import forms together.

Log

• 2026-06-06 — ticket opened from todo.md §4.
• 2026-06-18 — recorded Python import as is the same missing capability; no import-alias AST node exists on either frontend.