[Haskell] Re: GHC Error question

[oleg at pobox.com]

Norman Ramsey wrote:

>   compile1 :: (Builder b box) => t -> Name -> Ir.ANF -> b t
>   compile1 f x body = do env <- compile body empty
>                          wire (Arg W) (env x)
>                          return f
>   class (Monad b) => Builder b box where
>     wire            :: Source box -> Sink box -> b ()
> This program is rejected by GHC with the following message:
>
> Ccomp.hs:54:23:
>     Could not deduce (Builder b box1) from the context (Builder b box)
>       arising from use of `wire' at Ccomp.hs:54:23-42

He continued, [paraphrase] however, compile1 is accepted if the signature is
removed. Furthermore, the inferred signature seems identical to the
one given above.

That is not a bug. We observe that in the explicitly given signature
of compile1

>   compile1 :: (Builder b box) => t -> Name -> Ir.ANF -> b t

the type variable 'box' occurs only in the constraint Builder. 
The use of `wire' in the body of compile1 entails the constraint
`Builder b1 box1' (we alpha-renamed the type variables). Now, we know
that the result of the wire is the monadic value 'b1 ()', and compile1,
according to the signature, produces the monadic value 'b t. So, the
typechecker concludes that b = b1. However, there is nothing in the
code that lets the typechecker conclude that box1 is the same as
box. Hence the error: the given constraint (Builder b box) differs
from the required (Builder b box1).

What to do? If applicable, add a functional dependency (either per
class or per instance) so to tell the typechecker that a particular
'b' (always, or in some cases) entails the particular 'box'. That will
provide the missing improvement equation `box = box1'.

Or, one may use the local type variable to the same end

>   compile1 :: forall b t box. (Builder b box) => t -> Name -> Ir.ANF -> b t
>   compile1 f x body = do env <- compile body empty
>                          wire ((Arg W)::Source box) (env x)
>                          return f

the explicit `forall' binder is required.