fsharp / fsharp/fslang-suggestions
Allow full recursive processing of symbols in literals
- Dominant language
- No language data
- Stars
- 373
- Forks
- 21
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Description
# Title of Suggestion
I propose we solidify the interaction between literals defined in a recursive context to allow expressions like this:
```fsharp
let rec [] SomeTag = nameof SomeTag
module rec M =
let rec [] SomeOtherTag = nameof SomeOtherTag
```
And if https://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues/539 is implemented, the following would also work:
```fsharp
// Access 'y' defined below
module M =
let rec [] x = y+1
and y = 1
module rec M =
let [] x = y+1
let y = 1
```
It's important to note that this does overlap with suggestions like https://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues/539 because if they are implemented, this issue becomes more pronounced.
Currently, there is no reasonable workaround. The examples with `nameof` need to be written in one of these two ways:
```fsharp
let rec [] SomeTag = 1 // dummy value
and y = nameof SomeTag // not a literal
let rec SomeOtherTag = nameof SomeOtherTag
```
Neither actually accomplishes the goal of the desired code though.
## Pros and Cons
The advantages of making this adjustment to F# are:
* More use of `nameof` in places where it feels natural
* Nicely overlaps with suggestions like https://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues/539
The disadvantages of making this adjustment to F# are
* A [surprisingly complicated implementation](https://github.com/fsharp/fslang-design/issues/48#issuecomment-646687129), meaning that ensuring the right behavior happens with F# as it is today is complicated
* Other features, such as https://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues/539 may also be needed to really see the value
## Extra information
Estimated cost (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL): M-L
Related suggestions: (put links to related suggestions here)
## Affidavit (please submit!)
Please tick this by placing a cross in the box:
* [x] This is not a question (e.g. like one you might ask on [stackoverflow](http://stackoverflow.com)) and I have searched stackoverflow for discussions of this issue
* [x] I have [searched both open and closed suggestions on this site](http://github.com/fsharp/fslang-suggestions/issues) and believe this is not a duplicate
* [x] This is not something which has obviously "already been decided" in previous versions of F#. If you're questioning a fundamental design decision that has obviously already been taken (e.g. "Make F# untyped") then please don't submit it.
Please tick all that apply:
* [x] This is not a breaking change to the F# language design
* [x] I or my company would be willing to help implement and/or test this
Contributor guide
No contributing guide indexed for this repository
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.