diff --git a/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.vsgml b/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.vsgml index 9d0afcdfcf19ed8b91759dc11cd76a81ba1ac8eb..99eaf5dc3594c0962cf94eab702a03d2d51b78c1 100644 --- a/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.vsgml +++ b/ghc/docs/users_guide/glasgow_exts.vsgml @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ % -% $Id: glasgow_exts.vsgml,v 1.8 1999/03/30 11:26:24 sof Exp $ +% $Id: glasgow_exts.vsgml,v 1.9 1999/04/29 12:21:50 simonpj Exp $ % % GHC Language Extensions. % @@ -1198,6 +1198,26 @@ and <tt>bind</tt> to extract the polymorphic bind and return functions from the <tt>MonadT</tt> data structure, rather than using pattern matching. +You cannot pattern-match against an argument that is polymorphic. +For example: +<tscreen><verb> + newtype TIM s a = TIM (ST s (Maybe a)) + + runTIM :: (forall s. TIM s a) -> Maybe a + runTIM (TIM m) = runST m +</verb></tscreen> + +Here the pattern-match fails, because you can't pattern-match against +an argument of type <tt>(forall s. TIM s a)</tt>. Instead you +must bind the variable and pattern match in the right hand side: +<tscreen><verb> + runTIM :: (forall s. TIM s a) -> Maybe a + runTIM tm = case tm of { TIM m -> runST m } +</verb></tscreen> +The <tt>tm</tt> on the right hand side is (invisibly) instantiated, like +any polymorphic value at its occurrence site, and now you can pattern-match +against it. + <sect2>The partial-application restriction <p>