4.11.12 Name Clashes

A name clash can arise if:

1. a module tries to import a predicate from some other module m1 and it has already imported a predicate with the same name and arity from a module m2;
2. a module tries to import a predicate from some other module m1 and it already contains a definition of a predicate with the same name and arity; or
3. a module tries to define a predicate with the same name and arity as one that it has imported.

Whenever a name clash arises, a message is displayed beginning with the words `NAME CLASH'. The user is asked to choose from one of several options; for example,

     NAME CLASH: f/3 is already imported into module user
                 from module m1;
                 do you want to override this definition with
                 the one in m2? (y,n,p,s,a or ?)

The meanings of the four recognized replies are as follows:

• y means forget the previous definition of f/3 from m1 and use the new definition of f/3 from m2 instead.
• n means retain the previous definition of f/3 from m1 and ignore the new definition of f/3 from m2.
• p (for proceed) means forget the previous definition of f/3 and of all subsequent predicate definitions in m1 that clash during the current load of m2. Instead, use the new definitions in m2. When the p option is chosen, predicates being loaded from m1 into m2 will cause no `NAME CLASH' messages for the remainder of the load, though clashes with predicates from other modules will still generate such messages.
• s (for suppress) means forget the new definition of f/3 and of all subsequent predicate definitions in m1 that clash during the current load of m2. Instead, use the old definitions in m2. When the s option is chosen, predicates being loaded from m1 into m2 will cause no `NAME CLASH' messages for the remainder of the load, though clashes with predicates from other modules will still generate such messages.
• ? gives brief help information.