File: gawk.info,  Node: Changing The Namespace,  Next: Naming Rules,  Prev: Default Namespace,  Up: Namespaces

15.4 Changing The Namespace
===========================

In order to set the current namespace, use an '@namespace' directive at
the top level of your program:

     @namespace "passwd"

     BEGIN { ... }
     ...

   After this directive, all simple non-completely-uppercase identifiers
are placed into the 'passwd' namespace.

   You can change the namespace multiple times within a single source
file, although this is likely to become confusing if you do it too much.

     NOTE: Association of unqualified identifiers to a namespace is
     handled while 'gawk' parses your program, _before_ it starts to
     run.  There is no concept of a "current" namespace once your
     program starts executing.  Be sure you understand this.

   Each source file for '-i' and '-f' starts out with an implicit
'@namespace "awk"'.  Similarly, each chunk of command-line code supplied
with '-e' has such an implicit initial statement (*note Options::).

   Files included with '@include' (*note Include Files::) "push" and
"pop" the current namespace.  That is, each '@include' saves the current
namespace and starts over with an implicit '@namespace "awk"' which
remains in effect until an explicit '@namespace' directive is seen.
When 'gawk' finishes processing the included file, the saved namespace
is restored and processing continues where it left off in the original
file.

   The use of '@namespace' has no influence upon the order of execution
of 'BEGIN', 'BEGINFILE', 'END', and 'ENDFILE' rules.