How about Go's... error on unused imports?

[Justin Johansson]

Andrei Alexandrescu Wrote:

> Justin Johansson wrote:
> > Leandro Lucarella Wrote:
> > 
> >> I'm sorry to bring up another "How about Go's ..." topic, but I think this
> >> feature is very in sync with D and it should be really easy to implement.
> >>
> >> Go issues an error if you have an import that's never used, to avoid
> >> unnecessary dependencies.
> >>
> >> Do you see any reasons not to do that? I think it happens very often to
> >> stop using some import and never notice it.
> >>
> > 
> > In my opinion, this is a very good idea.  I continually remove imports
> > when I think they might not be used anymore.  Sometimes I'm right
> > and sometimes I'm wrong and the compiler tells me accordingly.  It
> > would be nice to have a warning for unused imports to save the tedium
> > of a redo.
> > 
> > From a code understanding point of view it helps not to be obfusticated
> > by unused imports.
> > 
> > beers Leandro for picking this up,
> > 
> > Justin
> 
> I think this is an environment issue. I like Eclipse's approach. Java 
> unnecessary imports are underlined with a wavy red line.
> 
> 
> Andrei

I don't like to engage in unnecessary debate but please consider:

1. the suggestion is for a warning message not an error (perhaps
even enabled by a compiler switch or warning level),

2. by environment I presume you mean development system and/or
editor. Sure Eclipse does okay with Java unused imports as you say.
Now whist I use Eclipse with Descent plugin, relying on environment
presupposes that environments support the feature.  Descent currently
does not; perhaps it will in the near future.  It is fair conjecture though
that widespead, mature support for D IDE-wise may well be sometime into
the future.  This is to say nothing for those that prefer to hack with
command line tools and light-weight editors.

So in summary, my humble opinion is that placing this responsibility
onto the environment is both pie in the sky and passing the buck.

Justin