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import_from

The import...from statement allows you to import specific exports from modules, providing more granular control over what functionality you bring into your program. This helps reduce namespace pollution and makes dependencies explicit.

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Basic Import From

Import specific functions or classes from a module: 
import { log, error } from "console"
import { add, subtract, multiply } from "math"
import { encode, decode } from "json"

// Usage
log("Hello, World!")
result = add(5, 3)
jsonString = encode(data)

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Import From with Aliases

Import specific items with custom names: 
import { log as print, error as printError } from "console"
import { add as sum, subtract as diff } from "math"
import { encode as stringify, decode as parse } from "json"

// Usage
print("Hello, World!")
result = sum(5, 3)
jsonString = stringify(data)

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Import From Local Files

Import from local Soul files: 
import { User, Product } from "./models.soul"
import { validateEmail, validatePhone } from "./validators.soul"
import { formatDate, generateId } from "../utils/helpers.soul"

// Usage
user = User.new("alice@example.com")
isValid = validateEmail(user.email)

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Import From Path Aliases

Use path aliases for cleaner imports: 
// If soul.json has: "@/": "./src/"
import { Button, Modal } from "@/components/ui.soul"
import { ApiClient } from "@/services/api.soul"
import { UserModel } from "@/models/user.soul"

// If soul.json has: "@utils/": "./src/utils/"
import { formatCurrency, formatDate } from "@utils/formatters.soul"

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Import Multiple Items

Import multiple specific items: 
import { 
    createServer, 
    middleware, 
    Router,
    static,
    json
} from "http"

import { 
    User, 
    Product, 
    Order, 
    Category 
} from "@/models"

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Import Everything

Import all exports from a module: 
import * from "math"
import * from "utils"
import * from "@/helpers"

// All exports are now available in current scope
result = add(5, 3)  // From math
formatted = formatDate(new Date())  // From utils

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Import From with Mixed Exports

Combine default and named imports: 
import Database, { connect, query, transaction } from "database"
import Logger, { log, error, debug } from "logger"
import Validator, { validateEmail, validatePhone } from "validator"

// Usage
db = Database.new()
connection = connect("database.db")
isValid = validateEmail("user@example.com")

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Import From Standard Library

Import specific functions from built-in modules: 
import { read, write, exists } from "io"
import { get, post, put, delete } from "http"
import { hash, encrypt, decrypt } from "crypto"
import { now, sleep, format } from "time"

// Usage
content = read("file.txt")
response = get("https://api.example.com")
hashedPassword = hash("password")

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Import From with Destructuring

Destructure complex exports: 
import { 
    database: { connect, query },
    cache: { get, set, clear },
    logger: { log, error }
} from "services"

// Usage
connection = connect()
result = query("SELECT * FROM users")
cached = get("user:123")

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Conditional Import From

Import different items based on conditions: 
soul loadEnvironmentConfig() {
    if (process.env == "development") {
        import { devConfig, devLogger } from "./dev-config.soul"
        return { config: devConfig, logger: devLogger }
    } else {
        import { prodConfig, prodLogger } from "./prod-config.soul"
        return { config: prodConfig, logger: prodLogger }
    }
}

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Import From with Error Handling

Handle import errors gracefully: 
try {
    import { OptionalFeature } from "optional-module"
    hasOptionalFeature = true
} catch (error) {
    println("Optional feature not available: " + error)
    hasOptionalFeature = false
    OptionalFeature = null
}

soul useOptionalFeature() {
    if (hasOptionalFeature && OptionalFeature) {
        return OptionalFeature.doSomething()
    } else {
        return fallbackImplementation()
    }
}

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Import From with Type Checking

Import and validate types: 
import { User, Product, Order } from "@/models"

soul validateUserData(userData) {
    if (typeof userData != "object") {
        throw("Invalid user data: must be object")
    }
    
    user = User.new(userData)
    return user.validate()
}

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Import From in Different Contexts

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In Service Files

// user-service.soul
import { connect, query } from "database"
import { hash } from "crypto"
import { validateEmail } from "validator"

soul createUser(userData) {
    if (!validateEmail(userData.email)) {
        throw("Invalid email")
    }
    
    userData.passwordHash = hash(userData.password)
    delete userData.password
    
    db = connect()
    return query("INSERT INTO users VALUES (?)", userData)
}

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In Controller Files

// user-controller.soul
import { createUser, findUser, updateUser } from "./user-service.soul"
import { validateRequest } from "./middleware.soul"
import { sendResponse } from "./response-helper.soul"

soul handleCreateUser(request, response) {
    validation = validateRequest(request)
    if (!validation.isValid) {
        return sendResponse(response, 400, validation.errors)
    }
    
    user = createUser(request.body)
    return sendResponse(response, 201, user)
}

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In Utility Files

// formatters.soul
import { format } from "time"
import { round } from "math"

soul formatCurrency(amount, currency) {
    if (currency == null) currency = "USD"
    rounded = round(amount, 2)
    return currency + " " + rounded
}

soul formatDateTime(date) {
    return format(date, "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss")
}

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Import From Best Practices

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1. Import Only What You Need

// Good - specific imports
import { log, error } from "console"
import { add, subtract } from "math"

// Avoid - importing everything
import * from "console"
import * from "math"

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2. Use Meaningful Aliases

// Good - clear aliases
import { log as consoleLog, error as consoleError } from "console"
import { User as UserModel } from "@/models/user.soul"

// Avoid - confusing aliases
import { log as l, error as e } from "console"

// Good - grouped by purpose
import { log, error, debug } from "console"
import { add, subtract, multiply, divide } from "math"
import { encode, decode } from "json"

// Avoid - scattered imports
import { log } from "console"
import { add } from "math"
import { error } from "console"

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4. Use Consistent Naming

// Good - consistent with module naming
import { validateEmail, validatePhone } from "validator"
import { formatDate, formatCurrency } from "formatter"

// Avoid - inconsistent naming
import { validateEmail, checkPhone } from "validator"

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Common Import From Patterns

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Configuration Module

// config.soul
export DATABASE_URL = "localhost:5432"
export API_KEY = "your-api-key"
export DEBUG_MODE = true

// main.soul
import { DATABASE_URL, API_KEY, DEBUG_MODE } from "./config.soul"

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Utilities Module

// utils.soul
soul formatDate(date) { /* ... */ }
soul generateId() { /* ... */ }
soul validateInput(input) { /* ... */ }

// main.soul
import { formatDate, generateId } from "./utils.soul"

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Models Module

// models.soul
sanctuary User { /* ... */ }
sanctuary Product { /* ... */ }
sanctuary Order { /* ... */ }

// main.soul
import { User, Product, Order } from "./models.soul"

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Import From Resolution

Soul resolves import from statements in the same order as regular imports:
  1. Relative paths: ./, ../
  2. Path aliases: @/, @components/
  3. soul_modules: Installed packages
  4. Standard library: Built-in modules

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Import From Debugging

Debug import from issues: 
soul debugImportFrom(modulePath, items) {
    try {
        import items from modulePath
        console.log("Successfully imported " + items.join(", ") + " from " + modulePath)
        return true
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Failed to import from " + modulePath + ": " + error)
        return false
    }
}
The import...from statement provides precise control over what functionality you import into your Soul applications, leading to cleaner, more maintainable code with explicit dependencies.
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