Improve behavior around `--with-ghc`
- Dominant language
- Haskell
- Stars
- 1.7k
- Forks
- 750
- Avg merge
- 4d 3h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 28
Description
I've been using `--with-ghc` for years because I thought `--with-compiler` was a relic from when there were popular Haskell compilers other than GHC. However, I just discovered that `--with-compiler` does seem to be the preferred way to specify the version of `ghc` that `cabal` should use. Compare the two invocations below. Clearly then it's `--with-compiler` that should be preferred, not `--with-ghc`.
Could we come to an understanding about what the correct flag is and if it is not `--with-ghc` then emit a more helpful error message, perhaps saying to try `--with-compiler`?
See also a [Discourse thread](https://discourse.haskell.org/t/surprising-difference-between-cabal-with-ghc-and-with-compiler/7984) on the same topic.
----
```
% cabal install --with-ghc ghc-9.6 pandoc
The path to the compiler program (or programs used by the
compiler) cannot be specified on a per-package basis in the
cabal.project file (i.e. setting the 'ghc-location' for package 'pandoc').
All packages have to use the same compiler, so specify the path in a
global 'program-locations' section.
```
```
% cabal install --with-compiler ghc-9.6 pandoc
Resolving dependencies...
```
Contributor guide
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.