Aaron At the moment, on the way *out* of GHC, it goes like this: Core --> converted to ExternalCore --> printed to file On the way *in* we see file --> parsed to a mixture of HsSyn and IfaceSyn --> typechecked to Core This is all a bit of a (historically-derived) nonsense, as I think we discussed. And it gives rise to the problems you are seeing, because the HsSyn part has this HsTyVarBndr etc. The same intermediate data type should be used in both directions. I forget, but I think we discussed these alternatives a) using IfaceSyn in both directions b) or defining a new data type The advantage of (b) is that you can use a purpose-designed data type. But the disadvantage is that you need to write a type checker. I'd be inclined to try (a). After all, that's the way that much of the input side works already. And IfaceSyn has stuff for expressing data type declarations etc. The advantage is that all the typechecking part is already done. Does this ring any bells? Simon | -----Original Message----- | From: Aaron Tomb [mailto:atomb@soe.ucsc.edu] | Sent: 08 February 2007 21:47 | To: Simon Peyton-Jones | Cc: GHC Users Mailing List | Subject: Re: [Haskell-cafe] External Core | | | On Feb 7, 2007, at 12:29 AM, Simon Peyton-Jones wrote: | | > | I am still working on it. Some external events have slowed me down a | > | little (research, classes, appendicitis), and it has involved more | > | changes to the innards of GHC than anticipated, but it is still | > | moving along. If you can wait a little while, it should be possible | > | to use GHC. | > | > I'm delighted to hear it; thank you. Maybe there are others who'd | > like to join in? | > | > Keep me posted about those "changes to the innards" you mention! | | Now that I've had a chance to revisit this code for the first time in | a while, I think I'm stuck.