#11376: Inconsistent specified type variables among functions and datatypes/classes when using -XTypeApplications -------------------------------------+------------------------------------- Reporter: RyanGlScott | Owner: goldfire Type: bug | Status: new Priority: normal | Milestone: Component: Compiler (Type | Version: 8.1 checker) | Keywords: Resolution: | TypeApplications Operating System: Unknown/Multiple | Architecture: | Unknown/Multiple Type of failure: Other | Test Case: Blocked By: | Blocking: Related Tickets: | Differential Rev(s): Wiki Page: | -------------------------------------+------------------------------------- Old description:
Originally reported [https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc- devs/2016-January/010915.html here]. When applying types via `-XTypeApplications`, the type/kind that gets instantiated seems to be different depending on whether you're using functions, datatypes, or typeclasses.
Here's an example contrasting functions and datatypes:
{{{ $ /opt/ghc/head/bin/ghci GHCi, version 8.1.20160106: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/ :? for help λ> :set -fprint-explicit-kinds -XTypeApplications -XTypeInType λ> data Prox a = Prox λ> prox :: Prox a; prox = Prox λ> :t prox prox :: forall k (a :: k). Prox k a λ> :t prox @Int prox @Int :: Prox * Int λ> :t Prox Prox :: forall k (a :: k). Prox k a λ> :t Prox @Int Prox @Int :: Prox Int a }}}
This is the core of the problem: with a function, `Int` seems to be applied to type variable `a`, whereas with data types, `Int` appears to be applied to the kind variable `k`. This confuses me, since `k` wasn't specified anywhere in the definition of `Prox`.
Andres Löh also [https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc- devs/2016-January/010916.html observed] a similar discrepancy between functions and typeclasses:
{{{ λ> :set -XScopedTypeVariables λ> class C a where c :: () λ> d :: forall a. C a => (); d = c @_ @a λ> :t d d :: forall k (a :: k). C k a => () λ> :t d @Int d @Int :: C * Int => () λ> :t c c :: forall k (a :: k). C k a => () λ> :t c @Int c @Int :: C Int a => () λ> :t c @_ @Int c @_ @Int :: C * Int => () }}}
New description: Originally reported [https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc- devs/2016-January/010915.html here]. When applying types via `-XTypeApplications`, the type/kind that gets instantiated seems to be different depending on whether you're using functions, datatypes, or typeclasses. Here's an example contrasting functions and datatypes: {{{ $ /opt/ghc/head/bin/ghci GHCi, version 8.1.20160106: http://www.haskell.org/ghc/ :? for help λ> :set -fprint-explicit-kinds -XTypeApplications -XTypeInType λ> data Prox a = Prox λ> prox :: Prox a; prox = Prox λ> :t prox prox :: forall k (a :: k). Prox k a λ> :t prox @Int prox @Int :: Prox * Int λ> :t Prox Prox :: forall k (a :: k). Prox k a λ> :t Prox @Int Prox @Int :: Prox Int a }}} This is the core of the problem: with a function, `Int` seems to be applied to type variable `a`, whereas with data types, `Int` appears to be applied to the kind variable `k`. This confuses me, since `k` wasn't specified anywhere in the definition of `Prox`. Andres Löh also [https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/ghc- devs/2016-January/010916.html observed] a similar discrepancy between functions and typeclasses: {{{ λ> :set -XScopedTypeVariables λ> class C a where c :: () λ> d :: forall a. C a => (); d = c @_ @a λ> :t d d :: forall k (a :: k). C k a => () λ> :t d @Int d @Int :: C * Int => () λ> :t c c :: forall k (a :: k). C k a => () λ> :t c @Int c @Int :: C Int a => () λ> :t c @_ @Int c @_ @Int :: C * Int => () }}} EDIT: See also documentation infelicity in comment:9. -- Comment (by goldfire): Replying to [comment:8 rwbarton]:
Based on experimentation, the rule seems to be: all type variables mentioned in the type signature are explicit, from left to right as they appear in the signature. I guess `k` counts as to the left of `a` in `a :: k`, though, since it is implicitly quantified earlier.
Here are the rules: * All variables mentioned by name are specified. * To get the ordering, list all the variables ordered left-to-right by first occurrence. Then do a stable topological sort based on dependencies. The second bullet is why `k` goes before `a` even though `a` is mentioned first. There is a note about this in the manual, but it doesn't discuss the topological sort part. Will fix. -- Ticket URL: http://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/11376#comment:9 GHC http://www.haskell.org/ghc/ The Glasgow Haskell Compiler