Symbol resolution for contexts inside packages

Question

Say I create $UserBaseDirectory/Autoload/MyPackage/init.m containing:

BeginPackage["MyPackage`"];
Symbol1 = 1;
Begin["`MyContext`"];
Symbol2 = 2;
End[];
EndPackage[];

When I run Mathematica:

Symbol1 resolves to MyPackage`Symbol1 and is colored black, indicating it has a value assigned.
MyContext`Symbol2 does not resolve, but MyPackage`MyContext`Symbol2 does. However, there is no autocompletion and the symbol is colored blue (indicating no value assigned) even after evaluation.

Is it possible to configure my package such that MyContext`Symbol2 will resolve and have all the front-end niceties?

I believe this question is answered here: (29324) (I am sorry no one directed you to this Q&A sooner.) — Mr.Wizard, Sep 15 '14 at 14:18

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 15 '14 at 14:14

The standard way to expose a symbol which is defined within a private context is to define a usage string outside the private context, as in

BeginPackage["MyPackage`"];
Symbol1 = 1;
Symbol2::usage = "Symbol2 is a test symbol";
Begin["`MyContext`"];
Symbol2 = 2;
End[];
EndPackage[];

Actually, any mention of the symbol inside the package but outside the private context will do the job, but there is a long-standing good practice to use this requirement as an excuse to define a usage string.

Symbol resolution for contexts inside packages

1 Answers1