I have:

data Reference = Ref [String] String data ReferenceError = RefError { expectedType :: String -- type of element we were looking for (e.g. "type","package") , pointOfError :: Reference -- path to deepest parent element not found in path } type ReferenceMonad = Either ReferenceError

I want to write functions that use "Either ReferenceError a" as as the error monad, instead of the more common "Either String a". In particular, I want to use be able to write:

type Model = [(String,Type)] findType :: Model -> Reference -> ReferenceMonad Type findType m -> r@(Ref [] name) = case lookup ((==name) . nameOf) m of Nothing -> throwError r Just x -> return x

I know that I could make this work by making ReferenceError an instance of the Error class, but I cannot provide meaningful implementations of "noMsg" and "strMsg" for ReferenceError. So, it seems instead I need to make (Either ReferenceError) an instance of MonadError. However, when I try, I get:

instance MonadError (Either ReferenceError)

Kind error: `Either ReferenceError' is not applied to enough type arguments When checking kinds in `MonadError (Either ReferenceError)' In the instance declaration for `MonadError (Either ReferenceError)' So, how do I get the effect I want for "findType"? Besides "throwError" I also want to use "catchError". Thanks, Brian (Haskell newbie)