X-Git-Url: http://git.megacz.com/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=ghc%2Fdocs%2Fusers_guide%2Fglasgow_exts.xml;h=36b7bf8f1f555cf7138813bd3975eecc33939b91;hb=03aaa24e66ad6191d160c3d12377b4e56feaa435;hp=36958c9b04a883881b951c360236eb179fcd6cfb;hpb=315c25ab86177f85f8c316f79a789675b792f6bd;p=ghc-hetmet.git diff --git a/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.xml b/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.xml index 36958c9..36b7bf8 100644 --- a/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.xml +++ b/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.xml @@ -219,6 +219,28 @@ documentation describes all the libraries that come with GHC. + + + Enables implicit parameters (see ). Currently also implied by + . + + Syntax stolen: + ?varid, + %varid. + + + + + + + Enables lexically-scoped type variables (see ). Implied by + . + + + + Enables Template Haskell (see describes all the libraries that come with GHC. - - - - Enables implicit parameters (see ). Currently also implied by - . - - Syntax stolen: - ?varid, - %varid. - - - @@ -270,7 +279,7 @@ became out of date, and wrong information is worse than none. The Real Truth about what primitive types there are, and what operations work over those types, is held in the file -fptools/ghc/compiler/prelude/primops.txt. +fptools/ghc/compiler/prelude/primops.txt.pp. This file is used directly to generate GHC's primitive-operation definitions, so it is always correct! It is also intended for processing into text. @@ -334,11 +343,16 @@ it is accidental that it is represented by a pointer. If a pointer represents a primitive value, then it really does point to that value: no unevaluated thunks, no indirections…nothing can be at the other end of the pointer than the primitive value. +A numerically-intensive program using unboxed types can +go a lot faster than its “standard” +counterpart—we saw a threefold speedup on one example. -There are some restrictions on the use of primitive types, the main -one being that you can't pass a primitive value to a polymorphic +There are some restrictions on the use of primitive types: + +The main restriction +is that you can't pass a primitive value to a polymorphic function or store one in a polymorphic data type. This rules out things like [Int#] (i.e. lists of primitive integers). The reason for this restriction is that polymorphic @@ -350,11 +364,33 @@ attempt to dereference the pointer, with disastrous results. Even worse, the unboxed value might be larger than a pointer (Double# for instance). + + You cannot bind a variable with an unboxed type +in a top-level binding. + + You cannot bind a variable with an unboxed type +in a recursive binding. + + You may bind unboxed variables in a (non-recursive, +non-top-level) pattern binding, but any such variable causes the entire +pattern-match +to become strict. For example: + + data Foo = Foo Int Int# - -Nevertheless, A numerically-intensive program using unboxed types can -go a lot faster than its “standard” -counterpart—we saw a threefold speedup on one example. + f x = let (Foo a b, w) = ..rhs.. in ..body.. + +Since b has type Int#, the entire pattern +match +is strict, and the program behaves as if you had written + + data Foo = Foo Int Int# + + f x = case ..rhs.. of { (Foo a b, w) -> ..body.. } + + + + @@ -389,21 +425,19 @@ values, but they avoid the heap allocation normally associated with using fully-fledged tuples. When an unboxed tuple is returned, the components are put directly into registers or on the stack; the unboxed tuple itself does not have a composite representation. Many -of the primitive operations listed in this section return unboxed +of the primitive operations listed in primops.txt.pp return unboxed tuples. +In particular, the IO and ST monads use unboxed +tuples to avoid unnecessary allocation during sequences of operations. There are some pretty stringent restrictions on the use of unboxed tuples: - - - - - Unboxed tuple types are subject to the same restrictions as +Values of unboxed tuple types are subject to the same restrictions as other unboxed types; i.e. they may not be stored in polymorphic data structures or passed to polymorphic functions. @@ -412,56 +446,46 @@ structures or passed to polymorphic functions. - Unboxed tuples may only be constructed as the direct result of -a function, and may only be deconstructed with a case expression. -eg. the following are valid: - - - -f x y = (# x+1, y-1 #) -g x = case f x x of { (# a, b #) -> a + b } - - - -but the following are invalid: +No variable can have an unboxed tuple type, nor may a constructor or function +argument have an unboxed tuple type. The following are all illegal: -f x y = g (# x, y #) -g (# x, y #) = x + y - - - - - - + data Foo = Foo (# Int, Int #) - - No variable can have an unboxed tuple type. This is illegal: + f :: (# Int, Int #) -> (# Int, Int #) + f x = x + g :: (# Int, Int #) -> Int + g (# a,b #) = a - -f :: (# Int, Int #) -> (# Int, Int #) -f x = x + h x = let y = (# x,x #) in ... - - -because x has an unboxed tuple type. - - - - - - -Note: we may relax some of these restrictions in the future. - -The IO and ST monads use unboxed -tuples to avoid unnecessary allocation during sequences of operations. +The typical use of unboxed tuples is simply to return multiple values, +binding those multiple results with a case expression, thus: + + f x y = (# x+1, y-1 #) + g x = case f x x of { (# a, b #) -> a + b } + +You can have an unboxed tuple in a pattern binding, thus + + f x = let (# p,q #) = h x in ..body.. + +If the types of p and q are not unboxed, +the resulting binding is lazy like any other Haskell pattern binding. The +above example desugars like this: + + f x = let t = case h x o f{ (# p,q #) -> (p,q) + p = fst t + q = snd t + in ..body.. + +Indeed, the bindings can even be recursive. @@ -619,7 +643,7 @@ clunky env var1 var1 -The semantics should be clear enough. The qualifers are matched in order. +The semantics should be clear enough. The qualifiers are matched in order. For a <- qualifier, which I call a pattern guard, the right hand side is evaluated and matched against the pattern on the left. If the match fails then the whole guard fails and the next equation is @@ -801,68 +825,68 @@ This name is not supported by GHC. So the flag causes the following pieces of built-in syntax to refer to whatever is in scope, not the Prelude - versions: + versions: - Integer and fractional literals mean - "fromInteger 1" and - "fromRational 3.2", not the - Prelude-qualified versions; both in expressions and in - patterns. - However, the standard Prelude Eq class - is still used for the equality test necessary for literal patterns. - + An integer literal 368 means + "fromInteger (368::Integer)", rather than + "Prelude.fromInteger (368::Integer)". + - - Negation (e.g. "- (f x)") - means "negate (f x)" (not - Prelude.negate). - + Fractional literals are handed in just the same way, + except that the translation is + fromRational (3.68::Rational). + + + The equality test in an overloaded numeric pattern + uses whatever (==) is in scope. + + + The subtraction operation, and the + greater-than-or-equal test, in n+k patterns + use whatever (-) and (>=) are in scope. + - In an n+k pattern, the standard Prelude - Ord class is still used for comparison, - but the necessary subtraction uses whatever - "(-)" is in scope (not - "Prelude.(-)"). - + Negation (e.g. "- (f x)") + means "negate (f x)", both in numeric + patterns, and expressions. + "Do" notation is translated using whatever functions (>>=), - (>>), fail, and - return, are in scope (not the Prelude - versions). List comprehensions, and parallel array + (>>), and fail, + are in scope (not the Prelude + versions). List comprehensions, mdo (), and parallel array comprehensions, are unaffected. - Similarly recursive do notation (see - ) uses whatever - mfix function is in scope, and arrow + Arrow notation (see ) uses whatever arr, (>>>), first, app, (|||) and - loop functions are in scope. - + loop functions are in scope. But unlike the + other constructs, the types of these functions must match the + Prelude types very closely. Details are in flux; if you want + to use this, ask! + - - The functions with these names that GHC finds in scope - must have types matching those of the originals, namely: - - fromInteger :: Integer -> N - fromRational :: Rational -> N - negate :: N -> N - (-) :: N -> N -> N - (>>=) :: forall a b. M a -> (a -> M b) -> M b - (>>) :: forall a b. M a -> M b -> M b - return :: forall a. a -> M a - fail :: forall a. String -> M a - - (Here N may be any type, - and M any type constructor.) - +In all cases (apart from arrow notation), the static semantics should be that of the desugared form, +even if that is a little unexpected. For emample, the +static semantics of the literal 368 +is exactly that of fromInteger (368::Integer); it's fine for +fromInteger to have any of the types: + +fromInteger :: Integer -> Integer +fromInteger :: forall a. Foo a => Integer -> a +fromInteger :: Num a => a -> Integer +fromInteger :: Integer -> Bool -> Bool + + + Be warned: this is an experimental facility, with fewer checks than usual. Use -dcore-lint to typecheck the desugared program. If Core Lint is happy @@ -901,18 +925,49 @@ Nevertheless, they can be useful when defining "phantom types". -Infix type constructors +Infix type constructors, classes, and type variables -GHC allows type constructors to be operators, and to be written infix, very much -like expressions. More specifically: +GHC allows type constructors, classes, and type variables to be operators, and +to be written infix, very much like expressions. More specifically: - A type constructor can be an operator, beginning with a colon; e.g. :*:. + A type constructor or class can be an operator, beginning with a colon; e.g. :*:. The lexical syntax is the same as that for data constructors. - Types can be written infix. For example Int :*: Bool. + Data type and type-synonym declarations can be written infix, parenthesised + if you want further arguments. E.g. + + data a :*: b = Foo a b + type a :+: b = Either a b + class a :=: b where ... + + data (a :**: b) x = Baz a b x + type (a :++: b) y = Either (a,b) y + + + + Types, and class constraints, can be written infix. For example + + x :: Int :*: Bool + f :: (a :=: b) => a -> b + + + + A type variable can be an (unqualified) operator e.g. +. + The lexical syntax is the same as that for variable operators, excluding "(.)", + "(!)", and "(*)". In a binding position, the operator must be + parenthesised. For example: + + type T (+) = Int + Int + f :: T Either + f = Left 3 + + liftA2 :: Arrow (~>) + => (a -> b -> c) -> (e ~> a) -> (e ~> b) -> (e ~> c) + liftA2 = ... + Back-quotes work @@ -920,7 +975,7 @@ like expressions. More specifically: Int `a` Bool. Similarly, parentheses work the same; e.g. (:*:) Int Bool. - Fixities may be declared for type constructors just as for data constructors. However, + Fixities may be declared for type constructors, or classes, just as for data constructors. However, one cannot distinguish between the two in a fixity declaration; a fixity declaration sets the fixity for a data constructor and the corresponding type constructor. For example: @@ -933,21 +988,6 @@ like expressions. More specifically: Function arrow is infixr with fixity 0. (This might change; I'm not sure what it should be.) - - Data type and type-synonym declarations can be written infix. E.g. - - data a :*: b = Foo a b - type a :+: b = Either a b - - - - The only thing that differs between operators in types and operators in expressions is that - ordinary non-constructor operators, such as + and * - are not allowed in types. Reason: the uniform thing to do would be to make them type - variables, but that's not very useful. A less uniform but more useful thing would be to - allow them to be type constructors. But that gives trouble in export - lists. So for now we just exclude them. - @@ -957,7 +997,7 @@ like expressions. More specifically: Liberalised type synonyms -Type synonmys are like macros at the type level, and +Type synonyms are like macros at the type level, and GHC does validity checking on types only after expanding type synonyms. That means that GHC can be very much more liberal about type synonyms than Haskell 98: @@ -1006,7 +1046,7 @@ You can apply a type synonym to a partially applied type synonym: foo :: Generic Id [] -After epxanding the synonym, foo has the legal (in GHC) type: +After expanding the synonym, foo has the legal (in GHC) type: foo :: forall x. x -> [x] @@ -1052,8 +1092,12 @@ because GHC does not allow unboxed tuples on the left of a function arrow. The idea of using existential quantification in data type declarations -was suggested by Laufer (I believe, thought doubtless someone will -correct me), and implemented in Hope+. It's been in Lennart +was suggested by Perry, and implemented in Hope+ (Nigel Perry, The Implementation +of Practical Functional Programming Languages, PhD Thesis, University of +London, 1991). It was later formalised by Laufer and Odersky +(Polymorphic type inference and abstract data types, +TOPLAS, 16(5), pp1411-1430, 1994). +It's been in Lennart Augustsson's hbc Haskell compiler for several years, and proved very useful. Here's the idea. Consider the declaration: @@ -1385,19 +1429,20 @@ declarations. Define your own instances! Class declarations -This section documents GHC's implementation of multi-parameter type -classes. There's lots of background in the paper Type +This section, and the next one, documents GHC's type-class extensions. +There's lots of background in the paper Type classes: exploring the design space (Simon Peyton Jones, Mark Jones, Erik Meijer). -There are the following constraints on class declarations: - - +All the extensions are enabled by the flag. + + +Multi-parameter type classes - Multi-parameter type classes are permitted. For example: +Multi-parameter type classes are permitted. For example: @@ -1406,14 +1451,30 @@ There are the following constraints on class declarations: ...etc. + + + + +The superclasses of a class declaration + +There are no restrictions on the context in a class declaration +(which introduces superclasses), except that the class hierarchy must +be acyclic. So these class declarations are OK: - - - + + class Functor (m k) => FiniteMap m k where + ... + + class (Monad m, Monad (t m)) => Transform t m where + lift :: m a -> (t m) a + + + + - The class hierarchy must be acyclic. However, the definition +As in Haskell 98, The class hierarchy must be acyclic. However, the definition of "acyclic" involves only the superclass relationships. For example, this is OK: @@ -1430,37 +1491,58 @@ this is OK: Here, C is a superclass of D, but it's OK for a class operation op of C to mention D. (It would not be OK for D to be a superclass of C.) - - - + - - There are no restrictions on the context in a class declaration -(which introduces superclasses), except that the class hierarchy must -be acyclic. So these class declarations are OK: - - class Functor (m k) => FiniteMap m k where - ... - class (Monad m, Monad (t m)) => Transform t m where - lift :: m a -> (t m) a + +Class method types + + +Haskell 98 prohibits class method types to mention constraints on the +class type variable, thus: + + class Seq s a where + fromList :: [a] -> s a + elem :: Eq a => a -> s a -> Bool +The type of elem is illegal in Haskell 98, because it +contains the constraint Eq a, constrains only the +class type variable (in this case a). +GHC lifts this restriction. + - - + - + +Functional dependencies + + + Functional dependencies are implemented as described by Mark Jones +in “Type Classes with Functional Dependencies”, Mark P. Jones, +In Proceedings of the 9th European Symposium on Programming, +ESOP 2000, Berlin, Germany, March 2000, Springer-Verlag LNCS 1782, +. + - All of the class type variables must be reachable (in the sense -mentioned in ) -from the free varibles of each method type -. For example: +Functional dependencies are introduced by a vertical bar in the syntax of a +class declaration; e.g. + + class (Monad m) => MonadState s m | m -> s where ... + class Foo a b c | a b -> c where ... + +There should be more documentation, but there isn't (yet). Yell if you need it. + + +In a class declaration, all of the class type variables must be reachable (in the sense +mentioned in ) +from the free variables of each method type. +For example: class Coll s a where @@ -1468,14 +1550,16 @@ from the free varibles of each method type insert :: s -> a -> s - is not OK, because the type of empty doesn't mention -a. This rule is a consequence of Rule 1(a), above, for -types, and has the same motivation. - -Sometimes, offending class declarations exhibit misunderstandings. For -example, Coll might be rewritten +a. Functional dependencies can make the type variable +reachable: + + class Coll s a | s -> a where + empty :: s + insert :: s -> a -> s + +Alternatively Coll might be rewritten class Coll s a where @@ -1497,299 +1581,135 @@ class like this: class CollE s => Coll s a where insert :: s -> a -> s - - - + + - - - -Class method types - -Haskell 98 prohibits class method types to mention constraints on the -class type variable, thus: - - class Seq s a where - fromList :: [a] -> s a - elem :: Eq a => a -> s a -> Bool - -The type of elem is illegal in Haskell 98, because it -contains the constraint Eq a, constrains only the -class type variable (in this case a). - - -With the GHC lifts this restriction. - - - -Type signatures + +Instance declarations + + +Instance heads -The context of a type signature -Unlike Haskell 98, constraints in types do not have to be of -the form (class type-variable) or -(class (type-variable type-variable ...)). Thus, -these type signatures are perfectly OK - - g :: Eq [a] => ... - g :: Ord (T a ()) => ... - +The head of an instance declaration is the part to the +right of the "=>". In Haskell 98 the head of an instance +declaration +must be of the form C (T a1 ... an), where +C is the class, T is a type constructor, +and the a1 ... an are distinct type variables. -GHC imposes the following restrictions on the constraints in a type signature. -Consider the type: - +The flag lifts this restriction and allows the +instance head to be of form C t1 ... tn where t1 +... tn are arbitrary types (provided, of course, everything is +well-kinded). In particular, types ti can be type variables +or structured types, and can contain repeated occurrences of a single type +variable. +Examples: - forall tv1..tvn (c1, ...,cn) => type - + instance Eq (T a a) where ... + -- Repeated type variable -(Here, we write the "foralls" explicitly, although the Haskell source -language omits them; in Haskell 98, all the free type variables of an -explicit source-language type signature are universally quantified, -except for the class type variables in a class declaration. However, -in GHC, you can give the foralls if you want. See ). + instance Eq (S [a]) where ... + -- Structured type + + instance C Int [a] where ... + -- Multiple parameters + + + +Overlapping instances - - - - +In general, GHC requires that that it be unambiguous which instance +declaration +should be used to resolve a type-class constraint. This behaviour +can be modified by two flags: +-fallow-overlapping-instances + +and +-fallow-incoherent-instances +, as this section discusses. + +When GHC tries to resolve, say, the constraint C Int Bool, +it tries to match every instance declaration against the +constraint, +by instantiating the head of the instance declaration. For example, consider +these declarations: + + instance context1 => C Int a where ... -- (A) + instance context2 => C a Bool where ... -- (B) + instance context3 => C Int [a] where ... -- (C) + instance context4 => C Int [Int] where ... -- (D) + +The instances (A) and (B) match the constraint C Int Bool, +but (C) and (D) do not. When matching, GHC takes +no account of the context of the instance declaration +(context1 etc). +GHC's default behaviour is that exactly one instance must match the +constraint it is trying to resolve. +It is fine for there to be a potential of overlap (by +including both declarations (A) and (B), say); an error is only reported if a +particular constraint matches more than one. + + + +The flag instructs GHC to allow +more than one instance to match, provided there is a most specific one. For +example, the constraint C Int [Int] matches instances (A), +(C) and (D), but the last is more specific, and hence is chosen. If there is no +most-specific match, the program is rejected. + + +However, GHC is conservative about committing to an overlapping instance. For example: + + f :: [b] -> [b] + f x = ... + +Suppose that from the RHS of f we get the constraint +C Int [b]. But +GHC does not commit to instance (C), because in a particular +call of f, b might be instantiate +to Int, in which case instance (D) would be more specific still. +So GHC rejects the program. If you add the flag , +GHC will instead pick (C), without complaining about +the problem of subsequent instantiations. + - Each universally quantified type variable -tvi must be reachable from type. - -A type variable a is "reachable" if it it appears -in the same constraint as either a type variable free in in -type, or another reachable type variable. -A value with a type that does not obey -this reachability restriction cannot be used without introducing -ambiguity; that is why the type is rejected. -Here, for example, is an illegal type: - - - - forall a. Eq a => Int - - - -When a value with this type was used, the constraint Eq tv -would be introduced where tv is a fresh type variable, and -(in the dictionary-translation implementation) the value would be -applied to a dictionary for Eq tv. The difficulty is that we -can never know which instance of Eq to use because we never -get any more information about tv. - - -Note -that the reachability condition is weaker than saying that a is -functionally dependendent on a type variable free in -type (see ). The reason for this is there -might be a "hidden" dependency, in a superclass perhaps. So -"reachable" is a conservative approximation to "functionally dependent". -For example, consider: - - class C a b | a -> b where ... - class C a b => D a b where ... - f :: forall a b. D a b => a -> a - -This is fine, because in fact a does functionally determine b -but that is not immediately apparent from f's type. - - - - - - Every constraint ci must mention at least one of the -universally quantified type variables tvi. - -For example, this type is OK because C a b mentions the -universally quantified type variable b: - - - - forall a. C a b => burble - - - -The next type is illegal because the constraint Eq b does not -mention a: - - - - forall a. Eq b => burble - - - -The reason for this restriction is milder than the other one. The -excluded types are never useful or necessary (because the offending -context doesn't need to be witnessed at this point; it can be floated -out). Furthermore, floating them out increases sharing. Lastly, -excluding them is a conservative choice; it leaves a patch of -territory free in case we need it later. - - - - - - - - - - -For-all hoisting - -It is often convenient to use generalised type synonyms (see ) at the right hand -end of an arrow, thus: - - type Discard a = forall b. a -> b -> a - - g :: Int -> Discard Int - g x y z = x+y - -Simply expanding the type synonym would give - - g :: Int -> (forall b. Int -> b -> Int) - -but GHC "hoists" the forall to give the isomorphic type - - g :: forall b. Int -> Int -> b -> Int - -In general, the rule is this: to determine the type specified by any explicit -user-written type (e.g. in a type signature), GHC expands type synonyms and then repeatedly -performs the transformation: - - type1 -> forall a1..an. context2 => type2 -==> - forall a1..an. context2 => type1 -> type2 - -(In fact, GHC tries to retain as much synonym information as possible for use in -error messages, but that is a usability issue.) This rule applies, of course, whether -or not the forall comes from a synonym. For example, here is another -valid way to write g's type signature: - - g :: Int -> Int -> forall b. b -> Int - - - -When doing this hoisting operation, GHC eliminates duplicate constraints. For -example: - - type Foo a = (?x::Int) => Bool -> a - g :: Foo (Foo Int) - -means - - g :: (?x::Int) => Bool -> Bool -> Int - - - - - - - - -Instance declarations - - -Overlapping instances - -In general, instance declarations may not overlap. The two instance -declarations - - - - instance context1 => C type1 where ... - instance context2 => C type2 where ... - - -"overlap" if type1 and type2 unify. - - -However, if you give the command line option --fallow-overlapping-instances -option then overlapping instance declarations are permitted. -However, GHC arranges never to commit to using an instance declaration -if another instance declaration also applies, either now or later. - - - - - - EITHER type1 and type2 do not unify - - - - - - OR type2 is a substitution instance of type1 -(but not identical to type1), or vice versa. - - - -Notice that these rules +The willingness to be overlapped or incoherent is a property of +the instance declaration itself, controlled by the +presence or otherwise of the +and flags when that mdodule is +being defined. Neither flag is required in a module that imports and uses the +instance declaration. Specifically, during the lookup process: - - - - make it clear which instance decl to use -(pick the most specific one that matches) - - - - - - - do not mention the contexts context1, context2 -Reason: you can pick which instance decl -"matches" based on the type. - - - + +An instance declaration is ignored during the lookup process if (a) a more specific +match is found, and (b) the instance declaration was compiled with +. The flag setting for the +more-specific instance does not matter. + + +Suppose an instance declaration does not matche the constraint being looked up, but +does unify with it, so that it might match when the constraint is further +instantiated. Usually GHC will regard this as a reason for not committing to +some other constraint. But if the instance declaration was compiled with +, GHC will skip the "does-it-unify?" +check for that declaration. + -However the rules are over-conservative. Two instance declarations can overlap, -but it can still be clear in particular situations which to use. For example: - - instance C (Int,a) where ... - instance C (a,Bool) where ... - -These are rejected by GHC's rules, but it is clear what to do when trying -to solve the constraint C (Int,Int) because the second instance -cannot apply. Yell if this restriction bites you. - - -GHC is also conservative about committing to an overlapping instance. For example: - - class C a where { op :: a -> a } - instance C [Int] where ... - instance C a => C [a] where ... - - f :: C b => [b] -> [b] - f x = op x - -From the RHS of f we get the constraint C [b]. But -GHC does not commit to the second instance declaration, because in a paricular -call of f, b might be instantiate to Int, so the first instance declaration -would be appropriate. So GHC rejects the program. If you add -GHC will instead silently pick the second instance, without complaining about -the problem of subsequent instantiations. +All this makes it possible for a library author to design a library that relies on +overlapping instances without the library client having to know. - -Regrettably, GHC doesn't guarantee to detect overlapping instance -declarations if they appear in different modules. GHC can "see" the -instance declarations in the transitive closure of all the modules -imported by the one being compiled, so it can "see" all instance decls -when it is compiling Main. However, it currently chooses not -to look at ones that can't possibly be of use in the module currently -being compiled, in the interests of efficiency. (Perhaps we should -change that decision, at least for Main.) +The flag implies the + flag, but not vice versa. @@ -1855,7 +1775,7 @@ but this is not: instance F a where ... -Note that instance heads may contain repeated type variables. +Note that instance heads may contain repeated type variables (). For example, this is OK: instance Stateful (ST s) (MutVar s) where ... @@ -1884,60 +1804,228 @@ context reduction terminates: each reduction step removes one type constructor. For example, the following would make the type checker loop if it wasn't excluded: - instance C a => C a where ... + instance C a => C a where ... + +There are two situations in which the rule is a bit of a pain. First, +if one allows overlapping instance declarations then it's quite +convenient to have a "default instance" declaration that applies if +something more specific does not: + + + + instance C a where + op = ... -- Default + + + +Second, sometimes you might want to use the following to get the +effect of a "class synonym": + + + + class (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => C a where { } + + instance (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => C a where { } + + + +This allows you to write shorter signatures: + + + + f :: C a => ... + + + +instead of + + + + f :: (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => ... + + + +Voluminous correspondence on the Haskell mailing list has convinced me +that it's worth experimenting with more liberal rules. If you use +the experimental flag +-fallow-undecidable-instances +option, you can use arbitrary +types in both an instance context and instance head. Termination is ensured by having a +fixed-depth recursion stack. If you exceed the stack depth you get a +sort of backtrace, and the opportunity to increase the stack depth +with N. + + +I'm on the lookout for a less brutal solution: a simple rule that preserves decidability while +allowing these idioms interesting idioms. + + + + + + + +Type signatures + +The context of a type signature + +Unlike Haskell 98, constraints in types do not have to be of +the form (class type-variable) or +(class (type-variable type-variable ...)). Thus, +these type signatures are perfectly OK + + g :: Eq [a] => ... + g :: Ord (T a ()) => ... + + + +GHC imposes the following restrictions on the constraints in a type signature. +Consider the type: + + + forall tv1..tvn (c1, ...,cn) => type + + +(Here, we write the "foralls" explicitly, although the Haskell source +language omits them; in Haskell 98, all the free type variables of an +explicit source-language type signature are universally quantified, +except for the class type variables in a class declaration. However, +in GHC, you can give the foralls if you want. See ). + + + + + + + + + Each universally quantified type variable +tvi must be reachable from type. + +A type variable a is "reachable" if it it appears +in the same constraint as either a type variable free in in +type, or another reachable type variable. +A value with a type that does not obey +this reachability restriction cannot be used without introducing +ambiguity; that is why the type is rejected. +Here, for example, is an illegal type: + + + + forall a. Eq a => Int + + + +When a value with this type was used, the constraint Eq tv +would be introduced where tv is a fresh type variable, and +(in the dictionary-translation implementation) the value would be +applied to a dictionary for Eq tv. The difficulty is that we +can never know which instance of Eq to use because we never +get any more information about tv. + + +Note +that the reachability condition is weaker than saying that a is +functionally dependent on a type variable free in +type (see ). The reason for this is there +might be a "hidden" dependency, in a superclass perhaps. So +"reachable" is a conservative approximation to "functionally dependent". +For example, consider: + + class C a b | a -> b where ... + class C a b => D a b where ... + f :: forall a b. D a b => a -> a -There are two situations in which the rule is a bit of a pain. First, -if one allows overlapping instance declarations then it's quite -convenient to have a "default instance" declaration that applies if -something more specific does not: +This is fine, because in fact a does functionally determine b +but that is not immediately apparent from f's type. + + + + + + Every constraint ci must mention at least one of the +universally quantified type variables tvi. + +For example, this type is OK because C a b mentions the +universally quantified type variable b: - instance C a where - op = ... -- Default + forall a. C a b => burble -Second, sometimes you might want to use the following to get the -effect of a "class synonym": +The next type is illegal because the constraint Eq b does not +mention a: - class (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => C a where { } - - instance (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => C a where { } + forall a. Eq b => burble -This allows you to write shorter signatures: - +The reason for this restriction is milder than the other one. The +excluded types are never useful or necessary (because the offending +context doesn't need to be witnessed at this point; it can be floated +out). Furthermore, floating them out increases sharing. Lastly, +excluding them is a conservative choice; it leaves a patch of +territory free in case we need it later. - - f :: C a => ... - + + + -instead of + + + +For-all hoisting + +It is often convenient to use generalised type synonyms (see ) at the right hand +end of an arrow, thus: + + type Discard a = forall b. a -> b -> a + g :: Int -> Discard Int + g x y z = x+y + +Simply expanding the type synonym would give - f :: (C1 a, C2 a, C3 a) => ... + g :: Int -> (forall b. Int -> b -> Int) + +but GHC "hoists" the forall to give the isomorphic type + + g :: forall b. Int -> Int -> b -> Int + +In general, the rule is this: to determine the type specified by any explicit +user-written type (e.g. in a type signature), GHC expands type synonyms and then repeatedly +performs the transformation: + + type1 -> forall a1..an. context2 => type2 +==> + forall a1..an. context2 => type1 -> type2 + +(In fact, GHC tries to retain as much synonym information as possible for use in +error messages, but that is a usability issue.) This rule applies, of course, whether +or not the forall comes from a synonym. For example, here is another +valid way to write g's type signature: + + g :: Int -> Int -> forall b. b -> Int - - -Voluminous correspondence on the Haskell mailing list has convinced me -that it's worth experimenting with more liberal rules. If you use -the experimental flag --fallow-undecidable-instances -option, you can use arbitrary -types in both an instance context and instance head. Termination is ensured by having a -fixed-depth recursion stack. If you exceed the stack depth you get a -sort of backtrace, and the opportunity to increase the stack depth -with N. -I'm on the lookout for a less brutal solution: a simple rule that preserves decidability while -allowing these idioms interesting idioms. +When doing this hoisting operation, GHC eliminates duplicate constraints. For +example: + + type Foo a = (?x::Int) => Bool -> a + g :: Foo (Foo Int) + +means + + g :: (?x::Int) => Bool -> Bool -> Int + @@ -1947,7 +2035,7 @@ allowing these idioms interesting idioms. Implicit parameters - Implicit paramters are implemented as described in + Implicit parameters are implemented as described in "Implicit parameters: dynamic scoping with static types", J Lewis, MB Shields, E Meijer, J Launchbury, 27th ACM Symposium on Principles of Programming Languages (POPL'00), @@ -2107,6 +2195,68 @@ the binding for ?x, so the type of f is + +Implicit parameters and polymorphic recursion + + +Consider these two definitions: + + len1 :: [a] -> Int + len1 xs = let ?acc = 0 in len_acc1 xs + + len_acc1 [] = ?acc + len_acc1 (x:xs) = let ?acc = ?acc + (1::Int) in len_acc1 xs + + ------------ + + len2 :: [a] -> Int + len2 xs = let ?acc = 0 in len_acc2 xs + + len_acc2 :: (?acc :: Int) => [a] -> Int + len_acc2 [] = ?acc + len_acc2 (x:xs) = let ?acc = ?acc + (1::Int) in len_acc2 xs + +The only difference between the two groups is that in the second group +len_acc is given a type signature. +In the former case, len_acc1 is monomorphic in its own +right-hand side, so the implicit parameter ?acc is not +passed to the recursive call. In the latter case, because len_acc2 +has a type signature, the recursive call is made to the +polymoprhic version, which takes ?acc +as an implicit parameter. So we get the following results in GHCi: + + Prog> len1 "hello" + 0 + Prog> len2 "hello" + 5 + +Adding a type signature dramatically changes the result! This is a rather +counter-intuitive phenomenon, worth watching out for. + + + +Implicit parameters and monomorphism + +GHC applies the dreaded Monomorphism Restriction (section 4.5.5 of the +Haskell Report) to implicit parameters. For example, consider: + + f :: Int -> Int + f v = let ?x = 0 in + let y = ?x + v in + let ?x = 5 in + y + +Since the binding for y falls under the Monomorphism +Restriction it is not generalised, so the type of y is +simply Int, not (?x::Int) => Int. +Hence, (f 9) returns result 9. +If you add a type signature for y, then y +will get type (?x::Int) => Int, so the occurrence of +y in the body of the let will see the +inner binding of ?x, so (f 9) will return +14. + + @@ -2118,7 +2268,7 @@ problem that monads seem over-kill for certain sorts of problem, notably: distributing a supply of unique names - distributing a suppply of random numbers + distributing a supply of random numbers distributing an oracle (as in QuickCheck) @@ -2279,30 +2429,6 @@ and you'd be right. That is why they are an experimental feature. - -Functional dependencies - - - Functional dependencies are implemented as described by Mark Jones -in “Type Classes with Functional Dependencies”, Mark P. Jones, -In Proceedings of the 9th European Symposium on Programming, -ESOP 2000, Berlin, Germany, March 2000, Springer-Verlag LNCS 1782, -. - - -Functional dependencies are introduced by a vertical bar in the syntax of a -class declaration; e.g. - - class (Monad m) => MonadState s m | m -> s where ... - - class Foo a b c | a b -> c where ... - -There should be more documentation, but there isn't (yet). Yell if you need it. - - - - - Explicitly-kinded quantification @@ -2405,7 +2531,7 @@ is implicitly added by Haskell. The functions f2 and g2 have rank-2 types; -the forall is on the left of a function arrrow. As g2 +the forall is on the left of a function arrow. As g2 shows, the polymorphic type on the left of the function arrow can be overloaded. @@ -2578,7 +2704,7 @@ matching. Type inference -In general, type inference for arbitrary-rank types is undecideable. +In general, type inference for arbitrary-rank types is undecidable. GHC uses an algorithm proposed by Odersky and Laufer ("Putting type annotations to work", POPL'96) to get a decidable algorithm by requiring some help from the programmer. We do not yet have a formal specification of "some help" but the rule is this: @@ -2677,22 +2803,19 @@ for rank-2 types. -A pattern type signature can introduce a scoped type -variable. For example - - - - +A lexically scoped type variable can be bound by: + +A declaration type signature () +A pattern type signature () +A result type signature () + +For example: f (xs::[a]) = ys ++ ys where ys :: [a] ys = reverse xs - - - - The pattern (xs::[a]) includes a type signature for xs. This brings the type variable a into scope; it scopes over all the patterns and right hand sides for this equation for f. @@ -2700,8 +2823,6 @@ In particular, it is in scope at the type signature for y. - Pattern type signatures are completely orthogonal to ordinary, separate -type signatures. The two can be used independently or together. At ordinary type signatures, such as that for ys, any type variables mentioned in the type signature that are not in scope are implicitly universally quantified. (If there are no type variables in @@ -2724,10 +2845,10 @@ So much for the basic idea. Here are the details. -What a pattern type signature means +What a scoped type variable means -A type variable brought into scope by a pattern type signature is simply -the name for a type. The restriction they express is that all occurrences +A lexically-scoped type variable is simply +the name for a type. The restriction it expresses is that all occurrences of the same name mean the same type. For example: f :: [Int] -> Int -> Int @@ -2897,7 +3018,33 @@ scope over the methods defined in the where part. For exampl - + +Declaration type signatures +A declaration type signature that has explicit +quantification (using forall) brings into scope the +explicitly-quantified +type variables, in the definition of the named function(s). For example: + + f :: forall a. [a] -> [a] + f (x:xs) = xs ++ [ x :: a ] + +The "forall a" brings "a" into scope in +the definition of "f". + +This only happens if the quantification in f's type +signature is explicit. For example: + + g :: [a] -> [a] + g (x:xs) = xs ++ [ x :: a ] + +This program will be rejected, because "a" does not scope +over the definition of "f", so "x::a" +means "x::forall a. a" by Haskell's usual implicit +quantification rules. + + + + Where a pattern type signature can occur @@ -2907,7 +3054,7 @@ A pattern type signature can occur in any pattern. For example: A pattern type signature can be on an arbitrary sub-pattern, not -ust on a variable: +just on a variable: @@ -3014,10 +3161,12 @@ in f4's scope. +Pattern type signatures are completely orthogonal to ordinary, separate +type signatures. The two can be used independently or together. - + Result type signatures @@ -3087,9 +3236,23 @@ classes Eq, Ord, GHC extends this list with two more classes that may be automatically derived (provided the flag is specified): Typeable, and Data. These classes are defined in the library -modules Data.Dynamic and Data.Generics respectively, and the +modules Data.Typeable and Data.Generics respectively, and the appropriate class must be in scope before it can be mentioned in the deriving clause. +An instance of Typeable can only be derived if the +data type has seven or fewer type parameters, all of kind *. +The reason for this is that the Typeable class is derived using the scheme +described in + +Scrap More Boilerplate: Reflection, Zips, and Generalised Casts +. +(Section 7.4 of the paper describes the multiple Typeable classes that +are used, and only Typeable1 up to +Typeable7 are provided in the library.) +In other cases, there is nothing to stop the programmer writing a TypableX +class, whose kind suits that of the data type constructor, and +then writing the data type instance by hand. + @@ -3202,7 +3365,7 @@ class to the new type: As a result of this extension, all derived instances in newtype -declarations are treated uniformly (and implemented just by reusing + declarations are treated uniformly (and implemented just by reusing the dictionary for the representation type), except Show and Read, which really behave differently for the newtype and its representation. @@ -3283,14 +3446,205 @@ then we would not have been able to derive an instance for the classes usually have one "main" parameter for which deriving new instances is most interesting. +Lastly, all of this applies only for classes other than +Read, Show, Typeable, +and Data, for which the built-in derivation applies (section +4.3.3. of the Haskell Report). +(For the standard classes Eq, Ord, +Ix, and Bounded it is immaterial whether +the standard method is used or the one described here.) + + +Generalised typing of mutually recursive bindings + + +The Haskell Report specifies that a group of bindings (at top level, or in a +let or where) should be sorted into +strongly-connected components, and then type-checked in dependency order +(Haskell +Report, Section 4.5.1). +As each group is type-checked, any binders of the group that +have +an explicit type signature are put in the type environment with the specified +polymorphic type, +and all others are monomorphic until the group is generalised +(Haskell Report, Section 4.5.2). + + +Following a suggestion of Mark Jones, in his paper +Typing Haskell in +Haskell, +GHC implements a more general scheme. If is +specified: +the dependency analysis ignores references to variables that have an explicit +type signature. +As a result of this refined dependency analysis, the dependency groups are smaller, and more bindings will +typecheck. For example, consider: + + f :: Eq a => a -> Bool + f x = (x == x) || g True || g "Yes" + + g y = (y <= y) || f True + +This is rejected by Haskell 98, but under Jones's scheme the definition for +g is typechecked first, separately from that for +f, +because the reference to f in g's right +hand side is ingored by the dependency analysis. Then g's +type is generalised, to get + + g :: Ord a => a -> Bool + +Now, the defintion for f is typechecked, with this type for +g in the type environment. + + + +The same refined dependency analysis also allows the type signatures of +mutually-recursive functions to have different contexts, something that is illegal in +Haskell 98 (Section 4.5.2, last sentence). With + +GHC only insists that the type signatures of a refined group have identical +type signatures; in practice this means that only variables bound by the same +pattern binding must have the same context. For example, this is fine: + + f :: Eq a => a -> Bool + f x = (x == x) || g True + + g :: Ord a => a -> Bool + g y = (y <= y) || f True + + + + + + +Generalised Algebraic Data Types + +Generalised Algebraic Data Types (GADTs) generalise ordinary algebraic data types by allowing you +to give the type signatures of constructors explicitly. For example: + + data Term a where + Lit :: Int -> Term Int + Succ :: Term Int -> Term Int + IsZero :: Term Int -> Term Bool + If :: Term Bool -> Term a -> Term a -> Term a + Pair :: Term a -> Term b -> Term (a,b) + +Notice that the return type of the constructors is not always Term a, as is the +case with ordinary vanilla data types. Now we can write a well-typed eval function +for these Terms: + + eval :: Term a -> a + eval (Lit i) = i + eval (Succ t) = 1 + eval t + eval (IsZero i) = eval i == 0 + eval (If b e1 e2) = if eval b then eval e1 else eval e2 + eval (Pair e1 e2) = (eval e2, eval e2) + +These and many other examples are given in papers by Hongwei Xi, and Tim Sheard. + + The extensions to GHC are these: + + + Data type declarations have a 'where' form, as exemplified above. The type signature of +each constructor is independent, and is implicitly universally quantified as usual. Unlike a normal +Haskell data type declaration, the type variable(s) in the "data Term a where" header +have no scope. Indeed, one can write a kind signature instead: + + data Term :: * -> * where ... + +or even a mixture of the two: + + data Foo a :: (* -> *) -> * where ... + +The type variables (if given) may be explicitly kinded, so we could also write the header for Foo +like this: + + data Foo a (b :: * -> *) where ... + + + + +There are no restrictions on the type of the data constructor, except that the result +type must begin with the type constructor being defined. For example, in the Term data +type above, the type of each constructor must end with ... -> Term .... + + + +You cannot use record syntax on a GADT-style data type declaration. ( +It's not clear what these it would mean. For example, +the record selectors might ill-typed.) +However, you can use strictness annotations, in the obvious places +in the constructor type: + + data Term a where + Lit :: !Int -> Term Int + If :: Term Bool -> !(Term a) -> !(Term a) -> Term a + Pair :: Term a -> Term b -> Term (a,b) + + + + +You can use a deriving clause on a GADT-style data type +declaration, but only if the data type could also have been declared in +Haskell-98 syntax. For example, these two declarations are equivalent + + data Maybe1 a where { + Nothing1 :: Maybe a ; + Just1 :: a -> Maybe a + } deriving( Eq, Ord ) + + data Maybe2 a = Nothing2 | Just2 a + deriving( Eq, Ord ) + +This simply allows you to declare a vanilla Haskell-98 data type using the +where form without losing the deriving clause. + + + +Pattern matching causes type refinement. For example, in the right hand side of the equation + + eval :: Term a -> a + eval (Lit i) = ... + +the type a is refined to Int. (That's the whole point!) +A precise specification of the type rules is beyond what this user manual aspires to, but there is a paper +about the ideas: "Wobbly types: practical type inference for generalised algebraic data types", on Simon PJ's home page. + + The general principle is this: type refinement is only carried out based on user-supplied type annotations. +So if no type signature is supplied for eval, no type refinement happens, and lots of obscure error messages will +occur. However, the refinement is quite general. For example, if we had: + + eval :: Term a -> a -> a + eval (Lit i) j = i+j + +the pattern match causes the type a to be refined to Int (because of the type +of the constructor Lit, and that refinement also applies to the type of j, and +the result type of the case expression. Hence the addition i+j is legal. + + + + + +Notice that GADTs generalise existential types. For example, these two declarations are equivalent: + + data T a = forall b. MkT b (b->a) + data T' a where { MKT :: b -> (b->a) -> T' a } + + + + + + @@ -3340,9 +3694,11 @@ Tim Sheard is going to expand it.) A splice can occur in place of - an expression; the spliced expression must have type Expr + an expression; the spliced expression must + have type Q Exp a list of top-level declarations; ; the spliced expression must have type Q [Dec] - a type; the spliced expression must have type Type. + [Planned, but not implemented yet.] a + type; the spliced expression must have type Q Typ. (Note that the syntax for a declaration splice uses "$" not "splice" as in the paper. Also the type of the enclosed expression must be Q [Dec], not [Q Dec] @@ -3357,7 +3713,7 @@ Tim Sheard is going to expand it.) the quotation has type Expr. [d| ... |], where the "..." is a list of top-level declarations; the quotation has type Q [Dec]. - [t| ... |], where the "..." is a type; + [Planned, but not implemented yet.] [t| ... |], where the "..." is a type; the quotation has type Type. @@ -3435,7 +3791,7 @@ module Printf where -- you intend to use it. -- Import some Template Haskell syntax -import Language.Haskell.TH.Syntax +import Language.Haskell.TH -- Describe a format string data Format = D | S | L String @@ -3603,7 +3959,7 @@ proc x -> f x -<< x+1 which is equivalent to -arr (\ x -> (f, x+1)) >>> app +arr (\ x -> (f x, x+1)) >>> app so in this case the arrow must belong to the ArrowApply class. @@ -4040,12 +4396,13 @@ can still define and use your own versions of -To have the compiler ignore uses of assert, use the compiler option -. -fignore-asserts -option That is, expressions of the form +GHC ignores assertions when optimisation is turned on with the + flag. That is, expressions of the form assert pred e will be rewritten to -e. - +e. You can also disable assertions using the + + option + . Assertion failures can be caught, see the documentation for the @@ -4102,14 +4459,21 @@ Assertion failures can be caught, see the documentation for the - You can deprecate a function, class, or type, with the + You can deprecate a function, class, type, or data constructor, with the following top-level declaration: {-# DEPRECATED f, C, T "Don't use these" #-} When you compile any module that imports and uses any - of the specifed entities, GHC will print the specified + of the specified entities, GHC will print the specified message. + You can only depecate entities declared at top level in the module + being compiled, and you can only use unqualified names in the list of + entities being deprecated. A capitalised name, such as T + refers to either the type constructor T + or the data constructor T, or both if + both are in scope. If both are in scope, there is currently no way to deprecate + one without the other (c.f. fixities ). Any use of the deprecated item, or of anything from a deprecated @@ -4125,6 +4489,31 @@ Assertion failures can be caught, see the documentation for the . + + INCLUDE pragma + + The INCLUDE pragma is for specifying the names + of C header files that should be #include'd into + the C source code generated by the compiler for the current module (if + compiling via C). For example: + + +{-# INCLUDE "foo.h" #-} +{-# INCLUDE <stdio.h> #-} + + The INCLUDE pragma(s) must appear at the top of + your source file with any OPTIONS_GHC + pragma(s). + + An INCLUDE pragma is the preferred alternative + to the option (), because the + INCLUDE pragma is understood by other + compilers. Yet another alternative is to add the include file to each + foreign import declaration in your code, but we + don't recommend using this approach with GHC. + + INLINE and NOINLINE pragmas @@ -4164,7 +4553,7 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) The normal unfolding machinery will then be very keen to inline it. - Syntactially, an INLINE pragma for a + Syntactically, an INLINE pragma for a function can be put anywhere its type signature could be put. @@ -4214,7 +4603,7 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) number; the phase number decreases towards zero. If you use you'll see the sequence of phase numbers for successive runs of the - simpifier. In an INLINE pragma you can optionally specify a + simplifier. In an INLINE pragma you can optionally specify a phase number, thus: @@ -4276,6 +4665,29 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) + + LANGUAGE pragma + + LANGUAGEpragma + pragmaLANGUAGE + + This allows language extensions to be enabled in a portable way. + It is the intention that all Haskell compilers support the + LANGUAGE pragma with the same syntax, although not + all extensions are supported by all compilers, of + course. The LANGUAGE pragma should be used instead + of OPTIONS_GHC, if possible. + + For example, to enable the FFI and preprocessing with CPP: + +{-# LANGUAGE ForeignFunctionInterface, CPP #-} + + Any extension from the Extension type defined in + Language.Haskell.Extension may be used. GHC will report an error if any of the requested extensions are not supported. + + + LINE pragma @@ -4286,9 +4698,7 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) code. It lets you specify the line number and filename of the original code; for example - -{-# LINE 42 "Foo.vhs" #-} - +{-# LINE 42 "Foo.vhs" #-} if you'd generated the current file from something called Foo.vhs and this line corresponds to line @@ -4298,16 +4708,19 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) - OPTIONS pragma - OPTIONS + OPTIONS_GHC pragma + OPTIONS_GHC - pragmaOPTIONS + pragmaOPTIONS_GHC - The OPTIONS pragma is used to specify + The OPTIONS_GHC pragma is used to specify additional options that are given to the compiler when compiling this source file. See for details. + + Previous versions of GHC accepted OPTIONS rather + than OPTIONS_GHC, but that is now deprecated. @@ -4330,7 +4743,7 @@ key_function :: Int -> String -> (Bool, Double) overloaded function: -hammeredLookup :: Ord key => [(key, value)] -> key -> value + hammeredLookup :: Ord key => [(key, value)] -> key -> value If it is heavily used on lists with @@ -4338,7 +4751,7 @@ hammeredLookup :: Ord key => [(key, value)] -> key -> value follows: -{-# SPECIALIZE hammeredLookup :: [(Widget, value)] -> Widget -> value #-} + {-# SPECIALIZE hammeredLookup :: [(Widget, value)] -> Widget -> value #-} A SPECIALIZE pragma for a function can @@ -4349,7 +4762,35 @@ hammeredLookup :: Ord key => [(key, value)] -> key -> value (see ) that rewrites a call to the un-specialised function into a call to the specialised one. - In earlier versions of GHC, it was possible to provide your own + The type in a SPECIALIZE pragma can be any type that is less + polymorphic than the type of the original function. In concrete terms, + if the original function is f then the pragma + + {-# SPECIALIZE f :: <type> #-} + + is valid if and only if the defintion + + f_spec :: <type> + f_spec = f + + is valid. Here are some examples (where we only give the type signature + for the original function, not its code): + + f :: Eq a => a -> b -> b + {-# SPECIALISE g :: Int -> b -> b #-} + + g :: (Eq a, Ix b) => a -> b -> b + {-# SPECIALISE g :: (Eq a) => a -> Int -> Int #-} + + h :: Eq a => a -> a -> a + {-# SPECIALISE h :: (Eq a) => [a] -> [a] -> [a] #-} + +The last of these examples will generate a +RULE with a somewhat-complex left-hand side (try it yourself), so it might not fire very +well. If you use this kind of specialisation, let us know how well it works. + + + Note: In earlier versions of GHC, it was possible to provide your own specialised function for a given type: @@ -4459,7 +4900,7 @@ data S = S {-# UNPACK #-} !Int {-# UNPACK #-} !Int Rewrite rules -<indexterm><primary>RULES pagma</primary></indexterm> +<indexterm><primary>RULES pragma</primary></indexterm> <indexterm><primary>pragma, RULES</primary></indexterm> <indexterm><primary>rewrite rules</primary></indexterm> @@ -4625,7 +5066,7 @@ same type. GHC makes absolutely no attempt to verify that the LHS and RHS -of a rule have the same meaning. That is undecideable in general, and +of a rule have the same meaning. That is undecidable in general, and infeasible in most interesting cases. The responsibility is entirely the programmer's! @@ -4657,7 +5098,7 @@ This rule will cause the compiler to go into an infinite loop. for matching a rule LHS with an expression. It seeks a substitution which makes the LHS and expression syntactically equal modulo alpha conversion. The pattern (rule), but not the expression, is eta-expanded if -necessary. (Eta-expanding the epression can lead to laziness bugs.) +necessary. (Eta-expanding the expression can lead to laziness bugs.) But not beta conversion (that's called higher-order matching). @@ -5023,7 +5464,7 @@ If you add you get a more detailed listing. - The defintion of (say) build in GHC/Base.lhs looks llike this: + The definition of (say) build in GHC/Base.lhs looks llike this: build :: forall a. (forall b. (a -> b -> b) -> b -> b) -> [a] @@ -5072,7 +5513,7 @@ program even if fusion doesn't happen. More rules in GHC/List.lhs - Sematically, this is equivalent to: + Semantically, this is equivalent to: g x = show x