FSharpList assertions with NFluent? - f#

I read on the nfluent documentation that you can assert lists like this:
var inteers = new int[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 666 };
Check.That(integers).Contains(3, 5, 666);
But when I try this in F# I cannot seem to get it work:
let myList : int list = [1;2;3]
Check.That(events).Contains(1, 2, 3)
The error message is seen here:
How do I get the list assertions to work i F#?
Update
In my actual code the F# function returns an FSharpList and I don't want to change this so I cannot simple change the type to e.g. a seq.

F# doesn't do implicit casting like C# does. Method signature expects to have IEnumerable, but you supply a list. That's what the error say.
The easiest fix would be to create a sequence, that is same as IEnumerable in C#:
let myList : int list = [1;2;3]
let mySeq = list |> Seq.ofList
Check.That(mySeq).Contains(1, 2, 3)

Related

Issue with specifying list parameter to use with List.sum

I'm just dabbling in F# and I'm trying to write my own simple function (in an fsx file, using the F# Interactive window to run it) as an exercise that will take a list of int type and return the sum of this list, using List.sum:
let sumMyList myList = List.sum myList
This (quite obviously) has the error
Could not resolve the ambiguity inherent in the use of the operator ( + ) at or near this program point. Consider using type annotations to resolve the ambiguity.
So I thought I would specify the type of the myList parameter as List<int>:
let sumMyList myList:List<int> = List.sum myList
Now I have the error:
The type List<int> does not support the operator +
The F# documentation for List.sum says
List.sum : ^T list -> ^T (requires ^T with static member (+) and ^T with static member Zero)
I thought that the int type supported the + operator, and if I do
List.sum [1;2;3]
It all works correctly, as [1;2;3] is a List<int>.
What am I missing? How do I specify a parameter as being a list of int types?
You are missing parenthesis, otherwise you are specifying the type of the return value:
let sumMyList myList:list<int> = List.sum myList
should be
let sumMyList (myList:list<int>) = List.sum myList
also you can specify this:
let sumMyList myList:int = List.sum myList
To define it in a generic way it should be declared inline:
let inline sumMyList myList = List.sum myList
The problem is that the compiler needs to resolve which numeric operation to use when compiling sumMyList - it could be int, float or other (even custom) type and all of those require the compiler to generate different code.
You can specify the type using type annotations (and the answer from #Gustavo) shows all the options you have for doing this.
The other option is to mark the function as inline, which will make it possible to use it with different types (the compiler will inline it and then pick the actual type for each use of the function):
let inline sumMyList myList = List.sum myList
The answer is that I was specifying the type completely wrong.
I suddenly had the idea of just doing
[1;2;]
and looking at it in the F# Interactive window (Alt + # to just run that line). It printed:
val it : int list = [1; 2]
Looks like I still had my C# head on - in F#, an int list is specified as int list, not List<int>.
I've altered my function to this:
let sumMyList (myList: int list) = List.sum myList
and it now works as expected.

Unexpected keyword 'val' in definition

Learning F# as part of my course, and can do some cool things, but something has been bugging me, whenever I use the val keyword, I get an error. I think it could be due to not declaring something in script, but I don't really know.
module Prime
#light
let nums = [1; 2; 3; 4; 5];;
val nums : list<int>
let rec sum list =
match list with
| h::tail -> (sum tail) + h
| [] -> 0
val sum : list<int> -> int
I get (line 5):
Error 1 Unexpected keyword 'val' in definition . Expected incomplete structured construct at or before this point or other token
Any ideas?
The val keyword in F# (unlike 'val' in ML) is used to declare a field in a class or structure type without initializing it.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd469494.aspx
if you want to define mutable value in the Module you can use
let mutable...
By the way, if you define the value with the same name (like 'nums') twice or more times then the effective value for the compiler will be latest defined in the scope.
So actually, I had misread the coursework set out, annoyingly the papers use val to define what the expected output of the function is, as opposed to using it as the keyword it is meant to be. Hence my confusion and lots of head scratching.
This looks like F# interactive output mixed in with code.
If I type this into FSI:
let nums = [1; 2; 3; 4; 5];;
The output is
val nums : int list = [1; 2; 3; 4; 5]
Note that ;; is where FSI parses and runs input. You wouldn't have this in non-interactive code. The output might differ because of an older version or editing, but nontheless, it doesn't belong in code.
Coincidentally, val is also a rarely used F# keyword for explicit fields. Hence the strange error message.
The val keyword is used to declare a field ; it must be used inside a type definition (class or structure). Since in your code the variable nums is already defined and as the list type inferred by F# type inference engine, there is no need for your val line.
An example of val keyword usage is (from msdn) :
type MyType() =
let mutable myInt1 = 10
[<DefaultValue>] val mutable myInt2 : int
[<DefaultValue>] val mutable myString : string
member this.SetValsAndPrint( i: int, str: string) =
myInt1 <- i
this.myInt2 <- i + 1
this.myString <- str
printfn "%d %d %s" myInt1 (this.myInt2) (this.myString)

error with f# generic follow Expert Fsharp book example

I'm reading Expert F# book and I found this code
open System.Collections.Generic
let divideIntoEquivalenceClasses keyf seq =
// The dictionary to hold the equivalence classes
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>()
// Build the groupings
seq |> Seq.iter (fun v ->
let key = keyf v
let ok,prev = dict.TryGetValue(key)
if ok then prev.Add(v)
else let prev = new ResizeArray<'T>()
dict.[key] <- prev
prev.Add(v))
dict |> Seq.map (fun group -> group.Key, Seq.readonly group.Value)
and the example use:
> divideIntoEquivalenceClasses (fun n -> n % 3) [ 0 .. 10 ];;
val it : seq<int * seq<int>>
= seq [(0, seq [0; 3; 6; 9]); (1, seq [1; 4; 7; 10]); (2, seq [2; 5; 8])]
first for me this code is really ugly, even if this is safe, It looks more similar to imperative languages than to functional lang..specially compared to clojure. But the problem is not this...I'm having problems with the Dictionary definition
when I type this:
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>();;
I get this:
pruebafs2a.fs(32,5): error FS0030: Value restriction. The value 'dict' has been inferred to have generic type
val dict : Dictionary<'_key,ResizeArray<'_T>> when '_key : equality
Either define 'dict' as a simple data term, make it a function with explicit arguments or, if you do not intend for it to be generic, add a type annotation.
is It ok?...
thanks so much
improve question:
Ok I've been reading about value restriction and I found this helpfull information
In particular, only function definitions and simple immutable data
expressions are automatically generalized
...ok..this explains why
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>();;
doesn't work...and show 4 different techniques, although in my opinion they only resolve the error but aren't solutions for use generic code:
Technique 1: Constrain Values to Be Nongeneric
let empties : int list [] = Array.create 100 []
Technique 3: Add Dummy Arguments to Generic Functions When Necessary
let empties () = Array.create 100 []
let intEmpties : int list [] = empties()
Technique 4: Add Explicit Type Arguments When Necessary (similar to tec 3)
let emptyLists = Seq.init 100 (fun _ -> [])
> emptyLists<int>;;
val it : seq<int list> = seq [[]; []; []; []; ...]
----- and the only one than let me use real generic code ------
Technique 2: Ensure Generic Functions Have Explicit Arguments
let mapFirst = List.map fst //doesn't work
let mapFirst inp = List.map fst inp
Ok, in 3 of 4 techniques I need resolve the generic code before can work with this...now...returning to book example...when the compile knows the value for 'key and 'T
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>()
in the scope the code is very generic for let key be any type, the same happen with 'T
and the biggest dummy question is :
when I enclose the code in a function (technique 3):
let empties = Array.create 100 [] //doesn't work
let empties () = Array.create 100 []
val empties : unit -> 'a list []
I need define the type before begin use it
let intEmpties : int list [] = empties()
for me (admittedly I'm a little dummy with static type languages) this is not real generic because it can't infer the type when I use it, I need define the type and then pass values (not define its type based in the passed values) exist other way define type without be so explicit..
thanks so much..really appreciate any help
This line
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>();;
fails because when you type the ;; the compiler doesn't know what 'key and 'T are. As the error message states you need to add a type annotation, or allow the compiler to infer the type by using it later or make it a function
Examples
Type annotation change
let dict = new Dictionary<int,ResizeArray<int>>();;
Using types later
let dict = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>()
dict.[1] <- 2
using a function
let dict() = new Dictionary<'key,ResizeArray<'T>>();;
This actually doesn't cause an issue when it's defined all together. That is, select the entire block that you posted and send it to FSI in one go. I get this:
val divideIntoEquivalenceClasses :
('T -> 'key) -> seq<'T> -> seq<'key * seq<'T>> when 'key : equality
However, if you type these individually into FSI then as John Palmer says there is not enough information in that isolated line for the interpreter to determine the type constraints. John's suggestions will work, but the original code is doing it correctly - defining the variable and using it in the same scope so that the types can be inferred.
for me this code is really ugly, even if this is safe, It looks more similar to imperative languages than to functional lang.
I agree completely – it's slightly tangential to your direct question, but I think a more idiomatic (functional) approach would be:
let divideIntoEquivalenceClasses keyf seq =
(System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary(), seq)
||> Seq.fold (fun dict v ->
let key = keyf v
match dict.TryGetValue key with
| false, _ -> dict.Add (key, ResizeArray(Seq.singleton v))
| _, prev -> prev.Add v
dict)
|> Seq.map (function KeyValue (k, v) -> k, Seq.readonly v)
This allows sufficient type inference to obviate the need for your question in the first place.
The workarounds proposed by the other answers are all good. Just to clarify based on your latest updates, let's consider two blocks of code:
let empties = Array.create 100 []
as opposed to:
let empties = Array.create 100 []
empties.[0] <- [1]
In the second case, the compiler can infer that empties : int list [], because we are inserting an int list into the array in the second line, which constrains the element type.
It sounds like you'd like the compiler to infer a generic value empties : 'a list [] in the first case, but this would be unsound. Consider what would happen if the compiler did that and we then entered the following two lines in another batch:
empties.[0] <- [1] // treat 'a list [] as int list []
List.iter (printfn "%s") empties.[0] // treat 'a list [] as string list []
Each of these lines unifies the generic type parameter 'a with a different concrete type (int and string). Either of these unifications is fine in isolation, but they are incompatible with each other and would result in treating the int value 1 inserted by the first line as a string when the second line is executed, which is clearly a violation of type safety.
Contrast this with an empty list, which really is generic:
let empty = []
Then in this case, the compiler does infer empty : 'a list, because it's safe to treat empty as a list of different types in different locations in your code without ever impacting type safety:
let l1 : int list = empty
let l2 : string list = empty
let l3 = 'a' :: empty
In the case where you make empties the return value of a generic function:
let empties() = Array.create 100 []
it is again safe to infer a generic type, since if we try our problematic scenario from before:
empties().[0] <- [1]
List.iter (printfn "%s") (empties().[0])
we are creating a new array on each line, so the types can be different without breaking the type system.
Hopefully this helps explain the reasons behind the limitation a bit more.

Extending the Indexer for an existing class

Suppose I have type A with indexer implemented, e.g. type A is a library. Now I want to extend the indexer of it, e.g. here I want to add float number into the indexer.
I worked out the following code:
type A(a:int array) =
member this.Item
with get(x) = a.[x]
and set(x) value = a.[x] <- value
type A with
member m.Item with
get(x:float) = m.[x |> int]
and set(x:float) v = m.[x |> int] <- v
But it seems not working:
let a = A([| 1;2;3 |])
a.[1]
a.[1] <- 10
a.[1.0]
For the last line, I get:
Script1.fsx(243,4): error FS0001: This expression was expected to have type
int
but here has type
float
Is extending indexer possible in F#? Thanks!
This behaves differently when the type extension is defined in a separate assembly (or separate module) and when it is in the same module as the type definition.
When both are in the same module, F# compiles them into a single class and Item becomes a standard overloaded indexer - In this case, your code works as expected (and this is how you actually wrote it here).
When they are in separate modules, F# compiles the indexer as an extension member. In this case, I get the error message you described.
Adding new overloads using extension members (e.g. new method) is possible. As far I can see, the specificaton doesn't say that this shouldn't work for indexers, so I think it is a bug (can you report it to fsbugs at microsoft dot com?)
I just tried this in FSI and it seems to work.
What compiler are you using?
This is what I fed to FSI:
type A(a:int array) =
member this.Item
with get(x) = a.[x]
and set(x) value = a.[x] <- value
type A with
member m.Item
with get(x:float) = m.[x |> int]
and set(x:float) v = m.[x |> int] <- v
let a = A([| 1;2;3 |])
a.[1] <- 10
printfn "%A" a.[1.2]
This prints '10'

F# collection initializer syntax

What is the collection initializer syntax in F#? In C# you can write something like:
new Dictionary<string, int>() {
{"One", 1},
{"two", 2}}
How do I do the same thing in F#? I suppose i could roll my own syntax, but seems like there should be a built-in or standard one already.
To elaborate a bit on collection initialization in F#, here are a few examples:
read-only dictionary
dict [ (1, "a"); (2, "b"); (3, "c") ]
seq (IEnumerable<T>)
seq { 0 .. 99 }
list
[1; 2; 3; 4; 5]
set
set [1; 2; 3; 4; 5]
array
[| 1; 2; 3; 4; 5 |]
As Jared says, there is no built-in support for this for arbitrary collections. However, the C# code is just syntactic sugar for Add method calls, so you could translate it to:
let coll = MyCollectionType()
["One", 1; "Two", 2] |> Seq.iter coll.Add
If you want to get fancy, you could create an inline definition to streamline this even further:
let inline initCollection s =
let coll = new ^t()
Seq.iter (fun (k,v) -> (^t : (member Add : 'a * 'b -> unit) coll, k, v)) s
coll
let d:System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<_,_> = initCollection ["One",1; "Two",2]
I don't believe F# has an explicit collection initializer syntax. However it's usually very easy to initialize F# collections. For example
let map = [ ("One", 1); ("Two", 2) ] |> Map.ofSeq
Getting to BCL collections is usually a bit more difficult because they don't always have the handy conversion functions. Dictionary<TKey, TValue> works though because you can use the LINQ method
let map =
let list = [ ("One", 1); ("Two", 2) ]
System.Linq.Enumerable.ToDictionary(list, fst, snd)
You can use the same :
open System.Collections.Generic
Dictionary<int, string>(dict [ (1, "a"); (2, "b"); (3, "c") ])
Cheers.
The lack of a collection initializer is annoying for some XAML-centric APIs like Workflow 4.0 which rely on collection initializers instead of ctors, e.g.
new Sequence { Activities = { WriteLine { Text = "In the sequence!" } } };
In such cases, imperative .Add() is awkward because the value is conceptually declarative even though it's technically mutable/imperative. However, there's no common base class for the set of all activities which declare an Activities child: the "Activities" member is a pattern and not an interface, so you can't just write a normal helper function which adds children to any activity. Fortunately, F# member constraints come to the rescue.
In order to write this:
Sequence() |> add [Sequence(DisplayName="InnerSeq"); WriteLine(Text = InArgument<_>("In the sequence!"))]
You first need to define an inline helper function called "add":
let inline add (children: Activity seq) =
let inline doAdd (activity: ^Activity) : ^Activity when ^Activity : (member get_Activities : unit -> Activity Collection) =
let collection = (^Activity : (member get_Activities : unit -> Activity Collection) (activity))
for child in children do
collection.Add(child)
activity
doAdd
This still isn't quite as nice as the C# syntax but at least it's still declarative. IMHO this is not so much as a fault with F# as with collection-initializer-centric APIs, but at least F# allows a workaround.
Given that the C# collection initializer syntax is syntactic sugar for calling .Add and that implies a mutable collection - I'm not sure you'll see any such syntax in F#. It's initialize all in one go as per JaredPar's answer, or do it manually.

Resources