[Haskell-cafe] default function definitions

[Alexander Solla]

On Jul 24, 2010, at 10:59 AM, Patrick Browne wrote:

> class C1 c1 where
>  age :: c1 -> Integer
> -- add default impl, can this be defined only once at class level?
> -- Can this function be redefined in a *class* lower down the  
> heirarchy?
> age(c1) = 1
>

Yes, but keep in mind that the hierarchy is only two levels tall.   
This mechanism isn't meant for OO-style inheritance.


>
> -- Is it true that instances must exists before we can run function or
> make subclasses?
> instance C1  Person where
> instance C1  Employee where
>

Yes, absolutely.

>
> -- Is it true that C2 can inherit age, provided an instance of C1  
> exists
> class C1 c2 =>  C2 c2 where
>  name :: c2 -> String
>  name(c2) = "C2"

> instance C2  Person where
> instance C2  Employee where

There's no notion of "inheritance" here.   If Person belongs to C2,  
then it "must" belong to C1, because you have specifically said that a  
C2 needs to be a C1 (presumably because you need a person's age to  
compute their name).  So Person will be using C1's "age" function, in  
virtue of having a C1 instance.

Compare this to:

class C4 c4 where name' :: c4 -> String

instance C1 Person 			-- gives Person an age function, either default  
or overridden
instance C1 thing => C4 thing  -- gives every C1 thing a name, needs  
Haskell extensions.


> -- Is it true that C3 cannot override C1 or C2 existing defaults?
> -- Is it true that this must be done at instance level?
> -- class Cx c3 =>  C3 c3 where
> --    age(c3) = 3

Yes, as I said, the hierarchy is two levels tall.