[Caml-list] Attn: Development Editor, Latest OCaml Weekly News

[Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org>]

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Hello

Here is the latest OCaml Weekly News, for the week of July 09 to 16,
2024.

Table of Contents
─────────────────

OCaml FFI Sharp Edges and How to Avoid Them
Ortac 0.3.0 Dynamic formal verification made easy
dream-html and pure-html 3.5.2
The OCaml community is signed up for Outreachy!
OCaml LSP 1.18.0
2nd editor tooling dev-meeting: 25th of July 🧙
A (Possibly) Safer Interface to the Ctypes FFI
OCaml Workshop 2024 at ICFP – announcement and call for proposals
living 0.1.0
Other OCaml News
Old CWN


OCaml FFI Sharp Edges and How to Avoid Them
═══════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/blog-ocaml-ffi-sharp-edges-and-how-to-avoid-them/14935/1>


Matt Walker announced
─────────────────────

  Wrote another blog post about my adventures in Godotcaml.  Check it
  out if you're interested in some details of memory management with a
  Ctypes FFI.  Would love to hear input to some of the questions asked
  in the post, too, if you'd like!

  <https://fizzixnerd.com/blog/2024-07-09-ocaml-ffi-sharp-edges-and-how-to-avoid-them/>


Ortac 0.3.0 Dynamic formal verification made easy
═════════════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-ortac-0-3-0-dynamic-formal-verification-made-easy/14936/1>


Nicolas Osborne announced
─────────────────────────

  I'm very pleased to announce this exciting new release of Ortac
  packages!

  Ortac is a set of tools for dynamic verification of Gospel formal
  specifications of OCaml code.

  You can find the project on [this repo] and install the released
  packages via `opam'.

  Released packages are:
  • `ortac-core'
  • `ortac-runtime'
  • `ortac-runtime-qcheck-stm'
  • `ortac-qcheck-stm'
  • `ortac-dune'

  But running: `$ opam install ortac-qcheck-stm ortac-dune' should be
  enough to install what is necessary.

  Apart from some fixes, this release brings three main improvements to
  the Ortac/QCheck-STM mode.

  The first one is about user experience. This is a two-parts
  improvement as we:

  1. move to a module-based configuration to reduce the number of
     arguments to give `ortac qcheck-stm' while increasing the
     flexibility of configuration (see [documentation] for more
     information)
  2. release the Ortac/Dune plugin which generates the dune rules
     necessary to generate and run the tests (see [README] for usage).

  With these two improvements, we believe that you have a very good
  excuse for not writing tests: it is very easy to generate them!

  The second improvement is related to the supported subset of Gospel,
  mainly about how you can express the logical model for your OCaml
  types: you don't have to limit yourself anymore to the Gospel standard
  library.

  Finally, some work has been put on extending the coverage of the
  generated tests: functions without any SUT argument and functions
  mentioning tuples are now included in the tested values.

  Happy testing!


[this repo] <https://github.com/ocaml-gospel/ortac>

[documentation]
<https://ocaml-gospel.github.io/ortac/ortac-qcheck-stm/index.html>

[README]
<https://github.com/ocaml-gospel/ortac/tree/main/plugins/dune-rules>


dream-html and pure-html 3.5.2
══════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-dream-html-pure-html-3-5-2/14808/3>


Yawar Amin announced
────────────────────

  [ANN] dream-html & pure-html 3.6.0

  Hello, I am happy to announce the following changes:

  • Added some htmx attributes that had been omitted. Now as far as I
    can tell we have complete coverage of all core attributes,
    additional attributes, and those used by core extensions.
  • Add a `?header:bool' optional parameter to `to_xml' and `pp_xml'
    functions to conveniently render the XML header as part of the
    output.


The OCaml community is signed up for Outreachy!
═══════════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/the-ocaml-community-is-signed-up-for-outreachy/13892/19>


Siddhi Agrawal announced
────────────────────────

  I am Siddhi, an Outreachy Summer 2024 intern with the OCaml
  community. I am working on the [ocaml-api-watch] project which is a
  tool that detects changes in the public API of a library and displays
  them in a human readable, git diff-like format so that the users and
  maintainers can stay on top of them. I am being mentored by
  @shonfeder, @NathanReb and Odinaka Joy (I am only able to mention
  people here) and it has been a great experience so far.

  I have linked my [blogs] here if you would like to know more about the
  project.


[ocaml-api-watch] <https://github.com/NathanReb/ocaml-api-watch>

[blogs] <https://siddhiagg.wordpress.com/>


OCaml LSP 1.18.0
════════════════

  Archive: <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-ocaml-lsp-1-18-0/14952/1>


PizieDust announced
───────────────────

  We are happy to announce the release of [ocaml-lsp 1.18.0] !

  *New Features:*

  This release brings exciting new features such as improved hover
  behavior with less noisy hovers on some Parsetree nodes such as
  keywords, comments etc. along with support for hovering over PPX
  annotations and preview the generated code. This release also have
  support for some additional custom queries, folding `ifthenelse'
  expressions, a new configuration option to control dune diagnostics,
  improved document symbols, and fixes to a handful of issues.

  Do not hesitate to report any suspicious behavior in the [issue
  tracker]


[ocaml-lsp 1.18.0]
<https://github.com/ocaml/ocaml-lsp/releases/tag/1.18.0>

[issue tracker] <https://github.com/ocaml/ocaml-lsp/issues>


2nd editor tooling dev-meeting: 25th of July 🧙
═══════════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-2nd-editor-tooling-dev-meeting-25th-of-july/14953/1>


vds announced
─────────────

  After the success of our [first public dev-meeting], we are organizing
  the next one on the 25th of July at 5pm CEST.  Whether you are a long
  time maintainer, an occasional contributor, a new comer, or simply a
  curious passer-by, please feel free to attend!

  ✨ We have two talks scheduled for this session:
  • @octachron will present his work on having structured compiler
    output
  • @nojb will present "typed grep" an tool used at LexiFi to search by
    type in the codebase.

  📋 Meeting agenda:
  • A tour-de-table to allow the participants that wish to do so to
    present themselves and mention issues / prs they are interested in.
  • Talks and Q&A
  • Discuss issues and pull requests that were tagged in advance or
    mentioned during the tour-de-table.
  • Discuss possible alternative meeting hours.

  We're looking forward to meeting you!

  • Meeting link: <https://meet.google.com/zhn-giws-gnu>
  • Calendar event:
    <https://calendar.google.com/calendar/event?action=TEMPLATE&amp;tmeid=MzRoaTAxcXJiNmVmYzloamxjbDY3MjY1YTcgdWx5c3NlQHRhcmlkZXMuY29t&amp;tmsrc=ulysse%40tarides.com>
  • Previous meeting notes are available in [Merlin's repository wiki].


[first public dev-meeting]
<https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-first-public-editor-tooling-dev-meeting/14824>

[Merlin's repository wiki]
<https://github.com/ocaml/merlin/wiki/Public-dev%E2%80%90meetings>


A (Possibly) Safer Interface to the Ctypes FFI
══════════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/blog-a-possibly-safer-interface-to-the-ctypes-ffi/14954/1>


Matt Walker announced
─────────────────────

  Hi there, another blog post.

  This time I discuss ideas for a new interface that helps localize the
  possibilities of errors when working with a Ctypes-style FFI.  Comment
  below if you like/hate it please!

  <https://fizzixnerd.com/blog/2024-07-11-a-possibly-safer-interface-to-the-ctypes-ffi/>


OCaml Workshop 2024 at ICFP – announcement and call for proposals
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

  Archive:
  <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ocaml-workshop-2024-at-icfp-announcement-and-call-for-proposals/14371/13>


Sonja Heinze announced
──────────────────────

  The accepted talks are now public! You can find them on the [Workshop
  website].

  We're very happy with the expected quality and diversity of talks. To
  give a bit of a taste via a few examples of talks that will be
  presented:

  • In the context of the *OCaml language*, _On the design and
    implementation of Modular Explicits_ will present a major and
    long-wanted new language feature whose PR on the compiler landed
    last week.
  • In the context of the *OCaml ecosystem*, _Opam 2.2 and beyond_ will
    present technical details as well as struggles about the just-landed
    2.2 release of your package manager.
  • In the context of *day-to-day OCaml applications*, _B · o · B, a
    universal & secure file-transfer software in OCaml_ will present a
    real-life MirageOs application.
  • In the context of *OCaml developer experience*, _Project-wide
    occurrences for OCaml, a progress report_ will present a shiny new
    editor feature that makes OCaml code navigation a joy.
  • There will also be four talks in the landscapes of *OCaml
    multi-core* (i.e. OCaml 5).

  We've given the authors a few weeks to update their abstracts and
  papers if they want to. At the beginning of August, the scheduled
  program with updated abstracts and attached papers will be on the
  website.

  For those who haven't seen it yet: The registration for the workshops
  and the whole conference [is open now]. There's currently an early
  bird discount, which *ends on August 3rd*.

  As we've mentioned already, the in-person experience of the workshop
  is a very nice one, allowing everyone to interact with colleagues and
  the rest of the community, to chat about the talks and OCaml in
  general, hit up the speakers etc. However, if you're not able to make
  it, you'll still be able to enjoy the talks: The talks will be
  live-streamed, and some time later be made permanently available
  online.

  Really, genuinely, thanks a lot to all members of the Program
  Committee for the very valuable reviews and interactions as well as to
  all the authors of all submissions!


[Workshop website] <https://icfp24.sigplan.org/home/ocaml-2024#program>

[is open now] <https://icfp24.sigplan.org/attending/registration>


living 0.1.0
════════════

  Archive: <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/ann-living-0-1-0/14964/1>


Matt Walker announced
─────────────────────

  I'm pleased to announce the first pre-opam version of the `living'
  library, currently available only on GitHub for testing.  I have some
  basic tests and a README explaining what it's for, but basically, it
  prevents mistakes like

  ┌────
  │ open Ctypes
  │ 
  │ (** Returns a pointer into the argument character string that points to the first
  │     instance of the argument character. *)
  │ let strchr : char ptr -> char -> char ptr = 
  │   Foreign.foreign "strchr" (ptr char @-> char @-> returning (ptr char))
  │ 
  │ let () =
  │   let p = CArray.start (CArray.of_string "abc") in
  │   let q = strchr p 'a' in
  │   let () = Gc.compact () in
  │   let c = !@ q in
  │   if Char.(equal c 'a') then print_endline "yay!" else print_endline "boo!"
  └────

  above from causing you pain.  If you weren't aware, the code above
  will almost always print "boo!".  Using `living`, you can replace it
  with this code:

  ┌────
  │ open Living
  │ open Living_ctypes
  │ 
  │ let strchr  : char ptr -> char -> char ptr Living_core.t = 
  │   let strchr_unsafe = Foreign.foreign "strchr" (ptr char @-> char @-> returning (ptr char)) in
  │   fun s c -> Living_core.(strchr_unsafe s c => s)
  │ 
  │ let _ =
  │   let open Living_core.Let_syntax in
  │   let* p = CArray.start (CArray.of_string "abc") in
  │   let* q = strchr p 'a' in
  │   let () = Gc.compact () in
  │   let* c = !@ q in
  │   if Char.(equal c 'a') then print_endline "yay!" else print_endline "boo!"
  │   Living_core.return ()
  └────

  and it will always print "yay!"

  Edit: should probably link to it!

  <https://github.com/Fizzixnerd/ocaml-living>


Other OCaml News
════════════════

From the ocaml.org blog
───────────────────────

  Here are links from many OCaml blogs aggregated at [the ocaml.org
  blog].

  • [From the Lab to the Trading Floor with Erin Murphy]


[the ocaml.org blog] <https://ocaml.org/blog/>

[From the Lab to the Trading Floor with Erin Murphy]
<https://signals-threads.simplecast.com/episodes/from-the-lab-to-the-trading-floor-with-erin-murphy-hD6GHMhc>


Old CWN
═══════

  If you happen to miss a CWN, you can [send me a message] and I'll mail
  it to you, or go take a look at [the archive] or the [RSS feed of the
  archives].

  If you also wish to receive it every week by mail, you may subscribe
  to the [caml-list].

  [Alan Schmitt]


[send me a message] <mailto:alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org>

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[Alan Schmitt] <https://alan.petitepomme.net/>


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