Using the Data.Vector.Generic interface

Question

I'm having some trouble defining the type signature when using the generic vector interface. I want to construct a method that can work on both boxed and unboxed vectors.

This works, but is constrained to boxed vectors:

import           Control.Monad.ST
import           Data.Vector                 as V
import           Data.Vector.Generic         as VG
import           Data.Vector.Generic.Mutable as VGM
import           Data.Vector.Mutable         as VM
import           Data.Vector.Unboxed         as VU
import           Data.Vector.Unboxed.Mutable as VUM

mySwap :: V.Vector a -> V.Vector a
mySwap vec = runST $ do
  vec_mut <- V.thaw vec
  VM.swap vec_mut 0 1
  V.unsafeFreeze vec_mut

If I change V to VG in order to use the generic interface, then two arguments are needed for the vector in the type signature, but I'm not sure how to constrain the first argument:

mySwap2 :: VG.Vector v a -> VG.Vector v a
mySwap2 vec = runST $ do
  vec_mut <- VG.thaw vec
  VGM.swap vec_mut 0 1
  VG.unsafeFreeze vec_mut

Expected a type, but VG.Vector v a has kind ghc-prim-.4.0.0:GHC.Prim.Constraint

ErikR · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-18 15:23:21Z

2

I just removed the type signature and let GHC guide me:

gswap v = runST $ do
  vmut <- VG.thaw v
  VGM.swap vmut 0 1
  VG.unsafeFreeze vmut

At first this yielded:

Illegal equational constraint Mutable v ~ Mutable v
(Use GADTs or TypeFamilies to permit this)

After adding LANGUAGE TypeFamilies it compiled and :t gswap returned:

gswap
  :: (VG.Vector v a, VG.Vector v1 a, Mutable v1 ~ Mutable v) =>
     v a -> v1 a

But if v and v1 are the same type the mutable constraint is trivially satisfied and you don't need the TypeFamilies extension.

edited May 18, 2016 at 15:23

answered May 18, 2016 at 14:45

ErikR

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1 Comment

ErikR Over a year ago

Let GHC be your friend. Also look up partial type signatures to have GHC tell you what part of a type signature should be.

Michael Snoyman · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-18 14:37:02Z

1

In the Generic module, Vector is a type class and needs to be used as a constraint, e.g.:

mySwap2 :: VG.Vector v a => v a -> v a

This means: v is some kind of vector which is capable of holding as.

answered May 18, 2016 at 14:37

Michael Snoyman

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