[Haskell-cafe] Avoiding lazy evaluation in an ErrorT computation

[Tim Bauer]

The file below models a problem I have been trying to figure out.
This file simplifies my original code, while still illustrating
the problem.

 > import Prelude hiding (catch)
 > import Control.Monad.Reader
 > import Control.Monad.Error
 > import Control.Exception
 > import System.IO(readFile)
 > import Data.Either(either)


Our monad transformer is an ErrorT which wraps the IO monad.
ErrorT allows us to use throwError, but we won't use it in this example.

 > type T a = ErrorT String IO a

The following runs a (T a) in the context of the IO monad.
We wrap runErrorT in try so as to catch things like division
by zero and what not.

 > doTinIO :: T a -> IO (Either String a)
 > doTinIO ta = do
 >  exesa <- try (runErrorT ta) -- IO (Either Exception (Either String a))
 >  return $ case exesa  of
 >    Left  x   -> Left ("EX: "++(show x))
 >    Right esa -> esa
 >
 > boom = 1 `div` 0
 > b1 = return boom :: T Int
 > bad = doTinIO b1

The above, bad, results in:
    Right *** Exception: divide by zero
My hope was to get
    Left "EX: divide by zero"

I cannot understand why the `try' does not get a chance at the
erroneous calculation. That is, I want the try to catch
the runtime exception.

Indeed, if the IO computation is strictly computed, I  get
the proper result.

 > g1 = boom `seq` (return boom :: T Int)
 > good = doTinIO g1

Stuff that raises exceptions in IO actions does not work either.

 > g2 = doTinIO (return boom)

Results in: ``Right *** Exception: divide by zero''
However, other actions that do raise errors work correctly.

It appears the value of the computation must be used
as the next two examples show.

 > g3 = doTinIO (liftIO (readFile "nonexistent"))
 > g4 = doTinIO (liftIO (print boom))

My problem is that I control `doTinIO', but someone else provides
the computation (T a). I cannot force callers to strictly evaluate
their computations.

I've tried three other variants (given below) that are all
nearly equivalent.

 > handler :: Exception -> IO (Either String a)
 > handler = return . Left . ("EX: "++) . show
 >
 > doTinIO2 :: T a -> IO (Either String a)
 > doTinIO2 ta = catch (runErrorT ta >>= evaluate) handler
 >
 > doTinIO3 :: T a -> IO (Either String a)
 > doTinIO3 ta = do
 >  esa <- catch (runErrorT ta) handler
 >  case esa of
 >    Right a -> catch (evaluate (return a)) handler
 >    l -> return l
 >
 > doTinIO4 :: T a -> IO (Either String a)
 > doTinIO4 ta = catch (runErrorT ta) handler

*Main> doTinIO2 b1
Right *** Exception: divide by zero
*Main> doTinIO3 b1
Right *** Exception: divide by zero
*Main> doTinIO4 b1
Right *** Exception: divide by zero

Any suggestions? Thanks all.