[Haskell] "global variables" and code optimization

[Keith Wansbrough]

> 
> The problem is, that with optimizations turned on (using ghc V6.2.1) the
> label number is calulated only once, so each call to makeBlockName yields
> the same value. I tried a) adding a dummy parameter to makeBlockName and b)
> specifying an INLINE pragma to both getAndUpdateVar and makeBlockName, but
> that doesn't help. What can I do to prevent optimization to optimize that
> calculation away?

This is why it is called *unsafe* - code that contains unsafePerformIO is usually wrong, and the proof obligations on the programmer when using it are complex and ill-defined.

There is a noinline pragma you can use, but I'm not at all sure it will save you in this specific situation.  Consider: makeBlockName has type String; it's just a constant.  How is the compiler going to give it a different value each time?  What does "each time" mean, anyway?

It's possible that by putting a noinline pragma on getAndUpdateVar you might arrange that each call to that gives a fresh label number; but you'll have to call it directly from your main function, rather than from within a constant as you have here.  (note also that just adding an unused argument to makeBlockName probably won't help; GHC is cleverer than that).

Why not just thread (newLabelNr :: Int) through your code to the places that need it?  If you do this with other things too, then put them in a record.  This is a kind of "poor-man's" state monad.

--KW 8-)

-- 
Keith Wansbrough <kw217 at cl.cam.ac.uk>
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/kw217/
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory.