Binding type variables that only occur in assertions
- by Giuseppe Maggiore
Hi! I find it extremely difficult to describe my problem, so here goes nothing:
I have a bunch of assertions on the type of a function. These assertions rely on a type variable that is not used for any parameter of the function, but is only used for internal bindings. Whenever I use this function it does not compile because, of course, the compiler has no information from which to guess what type to bind my type variable. Here is the code:
{-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses, FunctionalDependencies, FlexibleInstances,
UndecidableInstances, FlexibleContexts, EmptyDataDecls, ScopedTypeVariables,
TypeOperators, TypeSynonymInstances #-}
class C a a' where convert :: a -> a'
class F a b where apply :: a -> b
class S s a where select :: s -> a
data CInt = CInt Int
instance S (Int,String) Int where select (i,_) = i
instance F Int CInt where apply = CInt
f :: forall s a b . (S s a, F a b) => s -> b
f s =
let v = select s :: a
y = apply v :: b
in y
x :: Int
x = f (10,"Pippo")
And here is the generated error:
FunctorsProblems.hs:21:4:
No instances for (F a Int, S (t, [Char]) a)
arising from a use of `f' at FunctorsProblems.hs:21:4-17
Possible fix:
add an instance declaration for (F a Int, S (t, [Char]) a)
In the expression: f (10, "Pippo")
In the definition of `x': x = f (10, "Pippo")
Failed, modules loaded: none.
Prelude>
