extern_in_paths

The tracking issue for this feature is: #44660

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The extern_in_paths feature allows to refer to names from other crates “inline”, without introducing extern crate items, using keyword extern.

For example, extern::my_crat::a::b will resolve to path a::b in crate my_crate.

Absolute paths on 2018 edition (e.g. ::my_crate::a::b) provide the same effect and resolve to extern crates (built-in or passed with --extern).

#![feature(extern_in_paths)]

// Suppose we have a dependency crate `xcrate` available through `Cargo.toml`, or `--extern`
// options, or standard Rust distribution, or some other means.

use extern::xcrate::Z;

fn f() {
    use extern::xcrate;
    use extern::xcrate as ycrate;
    let s = xcrate::S;
    assert_eq!(format!("{:?}", s), "S");
    let z = ycrate::Z;
    assert_eq!(format!("{:?}", z), "Z");
}

fn main() {
    let s = extern::xcrate::S;
    assert_eq!(format!("{:?}", s), "S");
    let z = Z;
    assert_eq!(format!("{:?}", z), "Z");
}