August 2016 - Haskell-Cafe

Join a transformer
by Michael Snoyman 11 Apr '18

11 Apr '18

I'm wondering if this pattern exists and has a name. We have the concept of joining a Monad: join :: Monad m => m (m a) -> ma How about joining a monad transformer? joinT :: (Monad m, MonadTrans t) => t (t m) a -> t m a I believe implementing this in terms of MonadTransControl[1] might be possible, but I was wondering if there's an already existing idiom for this. Michael [1] http://haddocks.fpcomplete.com/fp/7.4.2/20130301-40/monad-control/Control-M…

5 5

PatternSignatures (rant)
by Johannes Waldmann 06 Apr '18

06 Apr '18

Dear all, (this is a rant - please ignore) why has "PatternSignatures" been renamed to "ScopedTypeVariables" (in ghc-6.10)? show me the alleged "type variable" in this code: do x :: Int <- [ 1 .. 10 ] ; return $ x^2 and why on earth do I need to use a language extension at all to get to the most basic thing of declarative programming: to declare the type of an identifier? This seriously hurts (me, at least) when teaching Haskell. Thanks - J.W.

4 4

Source code location in IO?
by Tom Ellis 30 Jun '17

30 Jun '17

Is it compatible with the semantics of Haskell to have a function sourceLocation :: IO String which when run returns the source file location at which it is used? For example, suppose Main.hs is module Main where main = do putStrLn =<< sourceLocation putStrLn "Hello" putStrLn =<< sourceLocation It would print the following when run Main.hs:4 Hello Main.hs:6 and module Main where main = do let s = sourceLocation putStrLn =<< s putStrLn "Hello" putStrLn =<< s It would print the following when run Main.hs:4 Hello Main.hs:4 If this is not compatible with the semantics of Haskell, why not? I agree that the two programs must have the same denotation, but is there anything that requires them to have the same output when run? Tom

6 7

possible bug in latest hackage Elf (Elf-0.27)
by Baojun Wang 18 Feb '17

18 Feb '17

Hi list, with below test program: -- /* test1.c: build with -g -O0 */ include <stdio.h> static const char appmsg[] = "hello, world"; int main(int argc, char* argv[]) { fputs(appmsg, stdout); return 0; } --- elf-test1.hs module Main where import qualified Data.ByteString as B import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as C import Control.Monad import Data.Elf testelf = "/tmp/test1" testelfsym = C.pack "appmsg" lookupSymbol1 _ [] = Nothing lookupSymbol1 sym (t:ts) = case (snd (steName t)) of Nothing -> lookupSymbol1 sym ts Just sname -> if sname == sym then Just t else lookupSymbol1 sym ts lookupSymbol _ [] = Nothing lookupSymbol sym (t:ts) = case (lookupSymbol1 sym t) of Nothing -> lookupSymbol sym ts t1 -> t1 test1 elf symtab symbol = mapM_ (print) (elfSections elf) test2 elf symtab symbol = lookupSymbol symbol symtab test3 elf symtab symbol = lookupSymbol symbol symtab >>= \et -> findSymbolDefinition et mainloop elf symtab symbol = -- (test1 elf symtab symbol) >> print (test2 elf symtab symbol) >> print (test3 elf symtab symbol) >> return () main = do contents <- B.readFile testelf let elf = parseElf contents symtab = parseSymbolTables elf mainloop elf symtab testelfsym --- the latest Data.Elf doesn't geive correct output as expected: output will be: Just (EST {steName = (9,Just "appmsg"), steEnclosingSection = Just (ElfSection {elfSectionName = ".fini", elfSectionType = SHT_PROGBITS, elfSectionFlags = [SHF_EXECINSTR,SHF_ALLOC], elfSectionAddr = 4195908, elfSectionSize = 9, elfSectionLink = 0, elfSectionInfo = 0, elfSectionAddrAlign = 4, elfSectionEntSize = 0, elfSectionData = "H\131\236\bH\131\196\b\195"}), steType = STTObject, steBind = STBLocal, steOther = 0, steIndex = SHNIndex 14, steValue = 4195924, steSize = 13}) >From above, you can see the steEnclosingSection is wrong and offset by 1. The *correct* output should be: Just (EST {steName = (9,Just "appmsg"), steEnclosingSection = Just (ElfSection {elfSectionName = ".rodata", elfSectionType = SHT_PROGBITS, elfSectionFlags = [SHF_ALLOC], elfSectionAddr = 4195920, elfSectionSize = 17, elfSectionLink = 0, elfSectionInfo = 0, elfSectionAddrAlign = 4, elfSectionEntSize = 0, elfSectionData = "\SOH\NUL\STX\NULhello, world\NUL"}), steType = STTObject, steBind = STBLocal, steOther = 0, steIndex = SHNIndex 14, steValue = 4195924, steSize = 13}) Just "hello, world\NUL" After check Elf.hs, I found there could be two issues: 1) in sectionByIndex, (SHNIndex) should start from 0, not 1; this cause the steEnclosingSection from my exmaple offset by 1; 2) in findSymbolDefinition, start should substract the sectionAddr (base address). please see below diff for details: -- --- a/Elf.hs 2012-12-04 19:27:51.000000000 -0800 +++ b/Elf.hs 2014-05-14 22:57:01.014498515 -0700 @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ -- | Data.Elf is a module for parsing a ByteString of an ELF file into an Elf record. -module Data.Elf ( parseElf +module Elf ( parseElf , parseSymbolTables , findSymbolDefinition , Elf(..) @@ -666,12 +666,12 @@ getSymbolTableEntries e s = -- If the size is zero, or the offset larger than the 'elfSectionData', -- then 'Nothing' is returned. findSymbolDefinition :: ElfSymbolTableEntry -> Maybe B.ByteString -findSymbolDefinition e = - let enclosingData = fmap elfSectionData (steEnclosingSection e) - start = fromIntegral (steValue e) +findSymbolDefinition e = steEnclosingSection e >>= \enclosingSection -> + let enclosingData = elfSectionData enclosingSection + start = ( (fromIntegral (steValue e)) - (fromIntegral (elfSectionAddr enclosingSection) ) ) len = fromIntegral (steSize e) - def = fmap (B.take len . B.drop start) enclosingData - in if def == Just B.empty then Nothing else def + def = (B.take len . B.drop start) enclosingData + in if def == B.empty then Nothing else Just def runGetMany :: Get a -> L.ByteString -> [a] runGetMany g bs @@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ getSymbolTableEntry e strtlb = return $ EST (nameIdx,name) sec typ bind other sTlbIdx symVal size sectionByIndex :: Elf -> ElfSectionIndex -> Maybe ElfSection -sectionByIndex e (SHNIndex i) = lookup i . zip [1..] $ (elfSections e) +sectionByIndex e (SHNIndex i) = lookup i . zip [0..] $ (elfSections e) sectionByIndex _ _ = Nothing infoToTypeAndBind :: Word8 -> (ElfSymbolType,ElfSymbolBinding) -- Would you please check above change and update Data.Elf hackage? I cannot find the author from http://hackage.haskell.org/package/elf-0.27 Thanks baojun

14 19

The 13-line example in Text.Megaparsec.Expr
by Jeffrey Brown 24 Sep '16

24 Sep '16

At the bottom of the Hackage documentation for Text.Megaparsec.Expr [1] is a 13-line demonstration program. It includes no import statements. I added the ones I could deduce, which produced this: import Text.Megaparsec import Text.Megaparsec.Expr import Text.Megaparsec.Lexer (symbol,integer) parens = between (symbol "(") (symbol ")") expr = makeExprParser term table <?> "expression" term = parens expr <|> integer <?> "term" table = [ [ prefix "-" negate , prefix "+" id ] , [ postfix "++" (+1) ] , [ binary "*" (*) , binary "/" div ] , [ binary "+" (+) , binary "-" (-) ] ] binary name f = InfixL (reservedOp name >> return f) prefix name f = Prefix (reservedOp name >> return f) postfix name f = Postfix (reservedOp name >> return f) That still won't compile, because GHC does not know what reservedOp means. Does reservedOp refer to something that no longer exists, or have I just not found it? [1] https://hackage.haskell.org/package/megaparsec-4.4.0/docs/Text-Megaparsec-E… -- Jeffrey Benjamin Brown

4 8

MPTCs and extended defaulting
by Tom Murphy 22 Sep '16

22 Sep '16

I've got a case in a library I'm working on where having -XExtendedDefaultRules with MPTCs would be very, very helpful. Is it possible? I.e., we can now write: ``` {-# LANGUAGE ExtendedDefaultRules #-} data AB = A | B Double deriving (Show) class Foo x where foo :: x -> AB instance Foo Double where foo = B main = print $ foo 5 ``` And -XExtendedDefaultRules makes sure we don't need to write "5 :: Double" If, though, I want 'Foo' to take another parameter (here, a :: [Symbol]), it falls apart: ``` {-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-} {-# LANGUAGE ExtendedDefaultRules #-} {-# LANGUAGE KindSignatures #-} {-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-} import GHC.TypeLits data AB = A | B Double deriving (Show) class Foo x (a :: [Symbol]) where foo :: x -> AB instance Foo Double a where foo = B main = print $ foo 5 ``` Is there a reason MPTCs can't support ExtendedDefaultRules? Thanks! Tom

2 4

Data constructor ‘Minus’ comes from an un-promotable type ‘Ints’
by Nicholls, Mark 15 Sep '16

15 Sep '16

Hello, I clearly don’t really know what I’m doing…but at least I know it…. Here we defined the Naturals…and then attempt to construct the Integers…. > {-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-} > {-# LANGUAGE ExplicitForAll #-} > {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts #-} > {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-} > {-# LANGUAGE GADTs #-} > {-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-} > {-# LANGUAGE PolyKinds #-} > {-# LANGUAGE StandaloneDeriving #-} > {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies #-} > {-# LANGUAGE TypeOperators #-} > {-# LANGUAGE UndecidableInstances #-} > {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-} > import Prelude hiding (head, tail, (++), (+), replicate) > import qualified Prelude as P naturals > data Nat where > Z :: Nat > S :: Nat -> Nat I can now define + and * and prove things about them…1 * x == x etc….nice..but lets put that on one side. Borrow bits and bobs from singletons > data family Sing (a :: k) Borrow bits and bobs from singletons..i.e. the isomorphic values…my proofs in nat now map to SNat…double nice. > type SNat = (Sing :: Nat -> *) Create the integers by following my nose……(the integers are the equivalence class of pairs of naturals….) i.e. we have “positive” or “negative” or “zero”… > data Ints (a :: Nat) (b :: Nat) where > Minus :: SNat a -> Ints 'Z a > Zero :: Ints 'Z 'Z > Plus :: SNat a -> Ints a 'Z > Ok….this works as a set of values….but…. I can’t prove anything about these because the data constructors for my integers aren’t “promotable”…..so I cant do the same trick I did with Nat. “:k Zero” ….. Data constructor ‘Zero’ comes from an un-promotable type ‘Ints’ In a type in a GHCi command: Zero I’ve tried rejigging this in various futile and ignorant manners….but the bottom line is its…”un-promotable”…..look at the docs, and it says something vague about GADT’s…but that isnt the problem directly. Is there a nifty way around this log jam? (I can start proving things about ‘(Nat,Nat)….but this will soon become a bit clumsy….) Or do I just stop here and wrestle with getting agda installed and lose another few months in the agda-café (which appears to be a very nice place somewhere in finland….hmmmm…I think that’s something different). (I’ve already allegedly descended into cabal hell following my nose with an agda install… setup.exe: The program cpphs version >=1.18.6 && <1.19 is required but the version found at C:\Users\nichom\AppData\Roaming\cabal\bin\cpphs.exe is version 1.19). computer science would be good, if it wasn’t for the computers. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This e-mail (and any attached files) is confidential and protected by copyright (and other intellectual property rights). If you are not the intended recipient please e-mail the sender and then delete the email and any attached files immediately. Any further use or dissemination is prohibited. While MTV Networks Europe has taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus free, it is your responsibility to ensure that this message and any attachments are virus free and do not affect your systems / data. Communicating by email is not 100% secure and carries risks such as delay, data corruption, non-delivery, wrongful interception and unauthorised amendment. If you communicate with us by e-mail, you acknowledge and assume these risks, and you agree to take appropriate measures to minimise these risks when e-mailing us. MTV Networks International, MTV Networks UK & Ireland, Greenhouse, Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products, VBSi, Viacom Brand Solutions International, Be Viacom, Viacom International Media Networks and VIMN and Comedy Central are all trading names of MTV Networks Europe. MTV Networks Europe is a partnership between MTV Networks Europe Inc. and Viacom Networks Europe Inc. Address for service in Great Britain is 17-29 Hawley Crescent, London, NW1 8TT.

5 11

StdGen Reliability Across Versions / Systems
by Christopher Howard 01 Sep '16

01 Sep '16

I know that, ff you feed mkStdGen a particular seed, and pull a list of random numbers from that StdGen, that that the list will always be the same if your run your compiled program over and over again on that same system. But which of the following will cause you to get different output?: 1) Changes in GHC version 2) Changes in "random" library version 3) Compiling / Running on a different host computer (but compiling with the same GHC & random versions. -- https://qlfiles.net My PGP public key ID is 0x340EA95A (pgp.mit.edu)

4 3

Announcing containers 0.5.8.1
by David Feuer 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

There's a lot to see in this one. There are plenty of brand-new functions in Data.Map, Data.Set, and Data.Sequence, including a highly-optimized lens-inspired map alteration function and a brand-new API for merging maps efficiently. Several key map, set, and sequence functions have sped up considerably. The full change log is below. I have tried to give appropriate credit to all the non-maintainers who contributed to this release, some of whom made very major contributions indeed. If I missed anyone, please give a shout. General package changes: Remove all attempts to support nhc98 and any versions of GHC before 7.0. Integrate benchmarks with Cabal. (Thanks, Gabriel Gonzalez!) Make Cabal report required extensions properly, and stop using default extensions. Note that we do not report extensions conditionally enabled based on GHC version, as doing so would lead to a maintenance nightmare with no obvious benefits. Use BangPatterns throughout to reduce noise. This extension is now required to compile containers. Improve QuickCheck properties taking arbitrary functions by using Test.QuickCheck.Function.Fun instead of evil Show instances for functions. Expose several internal modules through Cabal (as requested by Edward Kmett). These remain completely unsupported. New exports and instances: Add alterF, restrictKeys, and withoutKeys to Data.Map and Data.IntMap. Add take, drop, splitAt, takeWhileAntitone, dropWhileAntitone, and spanAntitone for Data.Map and Data.Set. Thanks to Cale Gibbard for suggesting these. Add merge, mergeA, and associated merge tactics for Data.Map. Many thanks to Cale Gibbard, Ryan Trinkle, and Dan Doel for inspiring the merge idea and helping refine the interface. Add fromDescList, fromDescListWith, fromDescListWithKey, and fromDistinctDescList to Data.Map. Add fromDescList and fromDistinctDescList to Data.Set. Add Empty, :<|, and :|> pattern synonyms for Data.Sequence, as originally envisioned in the finger tree paper by Paterson and Hinze. Add adjust', (!?), lookup, chunksOf, cycleTaking, insertAt, deleteAt, intersperse, foldMapWithIndex, and traverseWithIndex for Data.Sequence. Derive Generic and Generic1 for Data.Tree.Tree, Data.Sequence.ViewL, and Data.Sequence.ViewR. Add foldTree for Data.Tree. (Thanks, Daniel Wagner!) Semantic changes: Make Data.Sequence.splitAt strict in its arguments. Previously, it returned a lazy pair. Fix completely erroneous definition of length for Data.Sequence.ViewR. Make Data.Map.Strict.traverseWithKey force result values before installing them in the new map. Make Data.Tree.drawTree handle newlines better. (Thanks, recursion-ninja!) Deprecations: All functions in Data.Map proper that have been documented as deprecated since version 0.5 or before now have DEPRECATED pragmas and will actually be removed after another cycle or two. Tree printing functions in Data.Map intended for library debugging are now deprecated. They will continue to be available for the foreseeable future in an internal module. Performance changes: Substantially speed up splitAt, zipWith, take, drop, fromList, partition, foldl', and foldr' for Data.Sequence. Special thanks to Lennart Spitzner for digging into the performance problems with previous versions of fromList and finding a way to make it really fast. Slightly optimize replicateA. Stop traverse from performing many unnecessary fmap operations. Most operations in Data.Sequence advertised as taking logarithmic time (including >< and adjust) now use their full allotted time to avoid potentially building up chains of thunks in the tree. In general, the only remaining operations that avoid doing more than they really need are the particular bulk creation and transformation functions that really benefit from the extra laziness. There are some situations where this change may slow programs down, but I think having more predictable and usually better performance more than makes up for that. Add rewrite rules to fuse fmap with reverse for Data.Sequence. Switch from hedge algorithms to divide-and-conquer algorithms for union, intersection, difference, and merge in both Data.Map and Data.Set. These algorithms are simpler, are known to be asymptotically optimal, and are faster according to our benchmarks. Speed up adjust for Data.Map. Allow map to inline, and define a custom (<$). This considerably improves mapping with a constant function. Remove non-essential laziness throughout the Data.Map.Lazy implementation. Slightly speed up deletion and alteration functions for Data.IntMap.

5 5

Which tab width do you prefer for Haskell code?
by Christopher Done 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

Hi everyone, I'm trying to get a feel for the modern Haskell community's opinion on default tab-width for HIndent. Here is a link to the online poll: http://doodle.com/poll/82xf854t9mmuv22h#table Quote: > For the HIndent tool we'd like to choose the standard tab width. > For now, it is 4, the width set by the Johan Tibell style guide. > A survey of 1000 top-downloaded packages on Hackage reveals about 50-50 either way:https://gist.github.com/chrisdone/e3d1796d8f5df717b91db54aae36c440 > HIndent is meant as a "community standard" tool; it should reflect the community's actual practice. If there's a clear preference for 2, we'll switch to that. Otherwise, we remain with 4. Cheers!

5 4