[GHC] #14780: :type-at doesn't work when :load-ing with module name instead of file path
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ghc-devs at haskell.org
Fri Feb 9 02:04:20 UTC 2018
#14780: :type-at doesn't work when :load-ing with module name instead of file path
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Reporter: jol | Owner: (none)
Type: bug | Status: new
Priority: normal | Milestone:
Component: GHCi | Version: 8.2.2
Resolution: | Keywords:
Operating System: Linux | Architecture: x86_64 (amd64)
Type of failure: Other | Test Case:
Blocked By: | Blocking:
Related Tickets: | Differential Rev(s):
Wiki Page: |
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Comment (by jol):
I'm really not sure what the proper fix should be. Because this is meant
for use by an IDE and not a user, maybe the documentation could simply be
improved? I spent a while trying to figure out how to use `:type-at`,
because
1. I didn't understand that the right bound for the span given should be
one column to the right of the last character of the expression, and
2. I didn't know that this would only work when {{{:load}}}-ing with the
filepath, and not the module name. This was unexpected because the ghc
user guide entry for `:load` never seems to hint that behaviour could
depend on which is chosen.
3. Also, the guide entry for `:type-at` never says that the argument needs
to be a filepath.
I think the error messages could also be improved. Point 1 above would've
been obvious if the error message contained the text it tried to parse,
after the "not an expression", in between the quotes, instead of just
presenting an empty string. Also, it's difficult to understand ghci when
it says that `:type-at` couldn't "guess that module name" when given
src/Lib.hs in the first session, but it could in the second.
Anyway, thank you for your attention and the awesome `:type-at` feature.
--
Ticket URL: <http://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/14780#comment:1>
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