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	(1.37.109.16/16.2) id AA280777790; Tue, 19 Mar 1996 10:29:50 +0100
From: Jocelyn Serot <Jocelyn.Serot@lasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr>
Subject: Q: Module system and separate compilation
To: caml-list@margaux.inria.fr
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 10:29:48 MET
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Sender: weis


Hello,

I recently switched from Caml light to CSL and have been impressed
both by the resulting speedup of my programs and the usefulness of the 
module system. Thanks to X. Leroy and all the co-designers for making 
such a tool available !..

I have a question regarding relationships between the module system and
separate file compilation. I will try to explain my pb with a (small ;-))
but hopefully significant example:

Let say i have a module defining a kind of "addition" on a (abstract)
type t. Its signature might be:

	module type Foo = sig
		type t
		val one : t
		val add : t -> t -> t
	end

I want a module that defines a (restricted) notion of multiplication
on this type t. It signature might be:
 
	module type Bar = sig
		type t
		val one : t
		val double : t -> t
	end

My goal is to use any module M that matches the signature Foo to build
an implementation for Bar. This seems a good application for functors:

	module MakeBar(M: Foo) =
		(struct
		type t = M.t
		let one = M.one
		let double x = M.add x x
	end : Bar)

Now, suppose i have an implementation for Foo. For example:

	module Foo = struct
		type t = int
		let one = 1
		let add x y = x + y
	end

All i have to do build a Bar implemtation is to apply functor:

	module Bar = MakeBar(Foo)

	open Bar
	let two = double one

If the previous (indented) phrases are written in the same file (eg: foobar.ml)
and compiled as a whole, the command
	cslc -i foobar.ml
produces the following output:

>module type Foo = sig type t val one : t val add : t -> t -> t end
>module type Bar = sig type t val one : t val double : t -> t end
>module MakeBar : functor(M : Foo) -> Bar
>module Foo : sig type t = int val one : int val add : int -> int -> int end
>module Bar : sig type t = MakeBar(Foo).t val one : t val double : t -> t end
>val two : Bar.t

That's fine (though i dont really understand why the type <t> in the last line
is <MakeBar(Foo).t> and not simply <Bar.t>..)

Now, the pb is that in general both Foo and Bar signatures (as well as 
MakeBar functor definition) may be large and i want to put them in
separate files, that is:

	(* file "foo.mli": *)
		
	type t
	val one : t
	val add : t -> t -> t

	(* file "foo.ml": *)

	type t = int
	let one = 1
	let add x y = x + y

	(* file "bar.mli": *)

	type t
	val one : t
	val double : t -> t

all these files compiles (cslc xxx.ml[i]) and produce corresponding .cmi and
.cmo files.

Now, i suppose i have to put MakeBar def in the "bar.ml" file:

	module MakeBar(M: Foo) = (struct
		type t = M.t
		let one = M.one
		let double x = M.add x x
	end : Bar)

but this doesnt compile: CSL complains that
	"File "bar.ml", line 1, characters 18-21: Unbound module type Foo"
In the CSL HTML manual (node4.html), it is said, however that
	"When the compiler encounters a reference to a free module identifier Mod,
	 it looks in the search path for a file mod.cmi (note lowercasing of first
	 letter) and loads the compiled interface contained in that file."
In this case, the file "foo.cmi" exists !...
The same complain occurs with the Bar module type. Again the file bar.cmi
exists.

Ok, lets duplicate these sigs in the file bar.ml:

	(* file "bar.ml": *)

	module type Foo = sig type t val one : t val add : t -> t -> t end
	module type Bar = sig type t val one : t val double : t -> t end

	module MakeBar(M: Foo) = (struct
		type t = M.t
		let one = M.one
		let double x = M.add x x
	end : Bar)

But CSL now complains that:

"The implementation bar.ml does not match the interface bar.cmi:
The field `double' is required but not provided
The field `one' is required but not provided
The field `t' is required but not provided"

The only solution i found is then to rewrite to write bar.mli as:

	(* file bar.mli *)
	
	module type Bar = sig
		type t
		val one : t
		val double : t -> t
	end

But this seems contradictory with the fact that, as stated in node2.12 of
CSL html manual

"A compilation unit behaves roughly as the module definition
	module unit-name : sig unit-interface end = struct unit-implementation end"

Am i missing sth important, or even misusing the module system ?..
In particular, the need for textual duplication of the Foo and Bar signatures
(which have written and compiled in separate files) in the file defining
the functor seems a bit annoying..

Sorry for being so long, and thanks in advance for your help

J. Serot
--
E-mail: Jocelyn.Serot@lasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr .............................
S-mail: LASMEA - URA 1793 CNRS, Universite Blaise Pascal, 63177 Aubiere cedex
Tel: (33) 73.40.73.30 - Fax: (33) 73.40.72.62 ...............................
.... http://wwwlasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr/Personnel/Jocelyn.Serot/Welcome.html