What’s the reason that I cannot typealias a nested class? `typealias BR = foo.bar.base.R` if I the...

# getting-started

[ursus]

What’s the reason that I cannot typealias a nested class?

typealias BR = foo.bar.base.R

if I then use BR. I don’t see string, drawable etc

I can only do

typeealias BR_string = foo.bar.base.R.string
typyealias BR_drawable = foo.bar.base.R.drawable
etc, which is stupid

[ephemient]

https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/KT-34281

[ephemient]

I don't know if there's a reason but it's been an issue for quite some time

[ursus]

dammit .. thank you!

[ephemient]

instead of typealias, try import aliases:

import foo.bar.base.R as BR

then BR.string, BR.drawable, etc. work

[ursus]

I know but that has bad ux, I need to spell out the import manually first... defeats the purpose

[ursus]

Im trying to do nontransitive R classes in android, where I need to deduplicate R literal with correct import. Changing the name to something unique will be the best dev ux

[ephemient]

in my app, we've been happy to use import module.R as ModuleR. I don't understand what you mean by "need to spell out the import manually first" - just let the IDE auto-fill to "module.R.string.foo", then copy the prefix to the import list and replace

[tseisel]

There's also a "Introduce import alias" IDE action that does exactly that

[ursus]

but if you already have the module local import then you need to remember the full package name..

[ursus]

and only then create the alias .. so there is a burden of “knowing” the packagename from memory

[ursus]

@ephemient does IDE allow you to import the base one? If I remove the import, R goes red, I hit alt enter, it automatically imports the local one, doesnt even give option of importing the module R

do you really always type out foo.bar.quax.R.string.meh and then clean it up with import alias?

[ephemient]

well, I'm basically always in some subpackage, so unqualified R doesn't exist anyway. but yes, if I were in the same package name as the Android package, I'd just type it out, it all auto-completes

[ursus]

by type it out you mean enerting the full package name, right?

[tseisel]

Here's an IDE tip that might save your day in Android Studio :
Anywhere you'd like to reference a resource, simply type "R", then Ctrl+Space to invoke auto-suggestion. Search the desired qualified R class in the list, then type Enter.
Then, you could define an import alias with Alt+Enter then "Introduce import alias". Type in the name of your alias, for example "ModuleR", and you'll define an alias without typing a single package name!