[Haskell-cafe] type/class question: toString

Bayley, Alistair Alistair_Bayley at invescoperpetual.co.uk
Tue Nov 6 10:30:23 EST 2007


> From: haskell-cafe-bounces at haskell.org 
> [mailto:haskell-cafe-bounces at haskell.org] On Behalf Of Graham Fawcett
> 
> Is there a way to declare a 'toString' function, such that
> 
> toString x | <x is a String> = x
> toString x | <x's type is an instance of Show> = show x
> 
> Perhaps, in the type system, there's a way to declare a ToString
> class, and somehow "inherit" all instances of Show as ToString
> instances?


I'm assuming you're not fond of the way the print function handles
Strings?

With GHC you can do this:

> {-# OPTIONS -fallow-overlapping-instances #-}
> {-# OPTIONS -fallow-undecidable-instances #-}
>
> class Show a => MyShow a where show_ :: a -> String
> instance MyShow String where show_ s = s
> instance (Show a) => MyShow a where show_ s = show s


Alistair
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