01:39 <AI_coder> Ok, why is [@];; not a syntax error but [::];; is?

01:43 <sponge45> Hi. You mean (@) vs. (::) I guess.

01:45 <sponge45> This prevents you from redefining ::

01:45 <dylan> well, the real issue is :: is not first class.

01:47 <sponge45> Note that you can easily define your own cons function: let (@@) hd tl = hd :: tl

01:49 <dylan> I think in caml-light, constructors were like functions.

01:49 <sponge45> I heard that in SML it's like that too

01:49 <dylan> anyway, it's best to think of :: like:

01:50 <dylan> type 'a list = Cons of 'a * 'a cons

01:50 <dylan> err

01:50 <dylan> type 'a list = Cons of 'a * 'a cons | Empty

01:51 <dylan> Cons("foo", Cons("bar", Empty))

01:51 <dylan> is like "foo" :: "bar" :: []

01:51 <dylan> you can't use Cons (without arguments) as a value, and thus you can't take :: as a value.

10:53 <andreas_1> hi all

11:02 <andreas_1> I am developing a bioinformatics sequence analysis suite which contains several modules, one of which containing a record of parameters needed throughout the application. The params record is mostly static but some values can be overwritten by command-line options. Is there a way to make the (possibly modified) params record globally accessable throughout all Modules? This would be much more convenient than passing it as the last an argument to

11:19 <dylan> err, just qualify it with the module it is in

11:21 <andreas_1> but then I get the static params, that is command-line changes are not reflected

11:44 <mnemonic> yo

12:06 <aref> g'day

12:08 <smimou> andreas_1: could we see the code of the module containing the command-line options ?

12:10 <smimou> also you have to fetch the parameters *after* they are updated

12:10 <smimou> this means that you obviously cannot fetch them in a let _ = ...

12:10 <andreas_1> sure: http://rafb.net/paste/results/1pWHcg49.html

12:11 <smimou> a better coding style would be

12:11 <smimou> let set_indexfile cf s = cf.indexfile <- s

12:12 <smimou> also I don't understand the use of the cf argument

12:12 <smimou> I thing the right thing to do is

12:12 <andreas_1> you may be right, I took those setter functions from the "Developing Applications...." book

12:12 <smimou> let set_indexfile = default_config.indexfile <- s

12:12 <andreas_1> the cf is a ref to a default_config record

12:13 <andreas_1> the module works just fine

12:13 <smimou> and access the params via Par.default_config

12:13 <smimou> well it does not, else you wouldn't have come here :)

12:14 <smimou> you don't need a ref on default_config since it parameters are mutable

12:14 <andreas_1> the problem is, that if in some other module I put "let par = Par.default_config" I get just the default_config without any changes caused by the commandline args

12:14 <smimou> what you do here is taht you modify what cf points to

12:14 <smimou> you don't modify the contents of the value pointed by cf

12:15 <smimou> andreas_1: if you don't want to modify extensively your Par module, a quick fix is

12:15 <smimou> let set_indexfile cf s = (!cf).indexfile <- s

12:16 <smimou> but really you don't need the cf argument

12:16 <smimou> {!cf with indexfile = s} creates a *new* record

12:16 <smimou> it does not modify it

12:16 <andreas_1> I see, you mean everytime I change a parameter I dont change the cf but create a new one

12:16 <smimou> yes

12:17 <andreas_1> you are right, I should change that

12:18 <andreas_1> but lets say I did as you said, then I could write "let par = Par.default_config" in all modules and par would relfect the command line changes?

12:18 <smimou> yes

12:19 <smimou> a better coding style would be to simply use Par.default_config (no need for the let par)

12:19 <smimou> (IMHO)

12:20 <andreas_1> thx for helping I will try

12:39 <avlondono> this is strange, but, it is always so hard to find an ocaml programmer ...

12:40 <avlondono> anyone looking for an ocaml programming job?

12:41 <avlondono> this would be in New York, at the American Museum of Natural History, bioinformatics stuff, in C and OCaml (the core parts are in C).

12:41 <avlondono> but 99% is in Ocaml

12:42 <avlondono> if someone is interested, let me know.

12:51 <smimou> avlondono: why don't you post your job offer on the caml-list ?

12:53 <avlondono> we will. it was done in the past with very few results (only one person responded!)

12:53 <avlondono> of course that's better than nothing

16:08 <asbeta> anyone familiar with f#?

16:10 <pango> asbeta: Smerdyakov I think, but he's not here

16:15 <asbeta> looks like i have to wait...

23:57 <jer> anyone have a resource for lightweight records? the link on the caml hump is dead

23:58 <Smerdyakov> What are those?