d2ir: enable linking beyond board root

d2compiler/compile_test.go

@@ -2394,7 +2394,7 @@ layers: {
     }
   }
 }`,
-			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/link-board-underscore-not-found.d2:7:9: invalid underscore usage`,
+			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/link-board-underscore-not-found.d2:7:9: linked board not found`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "border-radius-negative",
@@ -3114,6 +3114,80 @@ layers: {
 				"y/n.d2": "p",
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "import-link-layer-1",
+			text: `k
+
+layers: {
+  x: {...@y}
+  z: { hi }
+}`,
+			files: map[string]string{
+				"y.d2": `a.link: _.layers.z
+`,
+			},
+			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
+				tassert.Equal(t, "root.layers.z", g.Layers[0].Objects[0].Link.Value)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "import-link-layer-2",
+			text: `...@y
+
+layers: {
+  z: { hi }
+}`,
+			files: map[string]string{
+				"y.d2": `a.link: layers.z
+`,
+			},
+			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
+				tassert.Equal(t, "root.layers.z", g.Objects[0].Link.Value)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "import-link-layer-3",
+			text: `k
+
+layers: {
+  x: {...@y}
+  z: { hi }
+}`,
+			files: map[string]string{
+				"y.d2": `a
+layers: {
+  lol: {
+    asdf.link: _._.layers.z
+  }
+}
+`,
+			},
+			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
+				tassert.Equal(t, "root.layers.z", g.Layers[0].Layers[0].Objects[0].Link.Value)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "import-link-layer-4",
+			text: `k
+
+layers: {
+  x: @y
+  z: { hi }
+}`,
+			files: map[string]string{
+				"y.d2": `a
+layers: {
+  lol: {
+    asdf.link: _.layers.z
+  }
+	z: { fjf }
+}
+`,
+			},
+			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
+				tassert.Equal(t, "root.layers.x.layers.z", g.Layers[0].Layers[0].Objects[0].Link.Value)
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			name: "sql-table-header-newline",
 			text: `x: {

d2ir/compile.go

@@ -920,7 +920,16 @@ func (c *compiler) extendLinks(m *Map, importF *Field, importDir string) {
 				continue
 			}
 
-			extendedIDA := append(importIDA, linkIDA[1:]...)
+			for _, id := range linkIDA[1:] {
+				if id == "_" {
+					linkIDA = append([]string{linkIDA[0]}, linkIDA[2:]...)
+					importIDA = importIDA[:len(importIDA)-2]
+				} else {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+
+			extendedIDA := append(importIDA[:len(importIDA)], linkIDA[1:]...)
 			kp := d2ast.MakeKeyPath(extendedIDA)
 			s := d2format.Format(kp)
 			f.Primary_.Value = d2ast.MakeValueBox(d2ast.FlatUnquotedString(s)).ScalarBox().Unbox()
@@ -984,10 +993,9 @@ func (c *compiler) compileLink(f *Field, refctx *RefContext) {
 	// Resolve underscores
 	for len(linkIDA) > 0 && linkIDA[0] == "_" {
 		if len(scopeIDA) < 2 {
-			// IR compiler only validates bad underscore usage
-			// The compiler will validate if the target board actually exists
-			c.errorf(refctx.Key.Key, "invalid underscore usage")
-			return
+			// Leave the underscore. It will fail in compiler as a standalone board,
+			// but if imported, will get further resolved in extendLinks
+			break
 		}
 		// pop 2 off path per one underscore
 		scopeIDA = scopeIDA[:len(scopeIDA)-2]