[GHC] #1310: confusing error message when trying to give a type-signature to an imported symbol

[GHC]

#1310: confusing error message when trying to give a type-signature to an imported
symbol
---------------------------+------------------------------------------------
  Reporter:  Isaac Dupree  |          Owner:         
      Type:  bug           |         Status:  new    
  Priority:  normal        |      Milestone:         
 Component:  Compiler      |        Version:  6.6.1  
  Severity:  normal        |       Keywords:         
Difficulty:  Unknown       |             Os:  Unknown
  Testcase:                |   Architecture:  Unknown
---------------------------+------------------------------------------------
{{{
 import Prelude(putStrLn,String,IO)
 main = putStrLn "ha" --works fine; putStrLn _is_ in (this) scope
 }}}
 {{{
 putStrLn :: String -> IO () --produces ghc error: Not in scope: `putStrLn'
 }}}
 {{{
 Prelude.putStrLn :: String -> IO () --produces ghc error: Invalid type
 signature
 }}}

 I think an error message more like "type signatures can't be given to
 functions(or non-function data) not defined in the same module" in both
 cases would be clearer.  Not sure what the right phrase is for
 "functions(or non-function data)", "symbols",?

 {{{
 main = putStrLn "ha"
     where p :: String -> IO ()
 p x = putStrLn x
 --produces ghc error: Misplaced type signature: p :: String -> IO ()
 }}}
 which shows a little more understanding in that case... If someone didn't
 understand how that style of type-signature could only appear parallel to
 a definition, I'm not sure how helpful it is.

 {{{
 main = putStrLn "ha"
     where putStrLn :: String -> IO ()
 --produces ghc error for the second line: Not in scope: `putStrLn'
 }}}

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://hackage.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/1310>
GHC <http://www.haskell.org/ghc/>
The Glasgow Haskell Compiler
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