[Haskell-cafe] global variables

[Jules Bean]

Eric wrote:
> H|i,
> 
> Does anyone know of a simple and straightforward way to use global 
> variables in Haskell?

(Perhaps annoyingly) the answer to this question, like so many other 
questions on this list, is a question. "What are you trying to do?".

The reason for this is that haskell's abstractions are different from 
those of the mainstream imperative languages, and the mapping isn't 1-1. 
So for a particular 'C' feature, there may be 3 or 4 haskell features 
which achieve similar effects, and the correct choice depends on the 
detailed context.

So, in particular, all those tasks which you use global variables for in 
C, can be achieved in haskell, but which solution depends what you are 
trying to do:

1. If you have some globals which are constant, then just define them at 
the top level. No problem.  pi = 3.14; progname = "MyCoolApp".

2. If you have a global environment, which various functions read from 
(and you might, for example, initialise from a configuration file) then 
you should thread that as a parameter to your functions (after having, 
very likely, set it up in your 'main' action). If the explicit parameter 
passing annoys you, then you can 'hide' it with a monad.

3. If you have a need to store some global state which various of your 
functions modify, then you have a design issue. This style of design is 
frowned upon in C as well! The correct solution in C is to pass a 
'bundle' of appropriate parameters (you might call it an environment) to 
those functions which need it. In C++, perl or python you'd very likely 
make this bundle an object. In haskell this bundle will be a data value 
in some custom type; and using Monads you can 'hide the details' of 
passing it around, if you wish.

Hope that helps a bit,


Jules