[erlang-bugs] type improper_list(_,_) undefined

[Kostis Sagonas]

On 09/05/11 17:18, John Hughes wrote:
> It looks as though the type improper_list/2 isn't defined in R14B02.
> Here's my file:
>
> -module(bug).
>
> -type ok() :: list(float()).
> -type foo() :: improper_list(float(),integer()).
> -type baz() :: maybe_improper_list(float(),integer()).
>
> Here's the output:
>
> 47> c(bug).
> ./bug.erl:5: type improper_list(_,_) undefined
> ./bug.erl:4: Warning: type ok() is unused
> ./bug.erl:5: Warning: type foo() is unused
> ./bug.erl:6: Warning: type baz() is unused
> error
>
> And here's the documentation:
>
> List :: list(Type) %% Proper list ([]-terminated)
> | improper_list(Type1, Type2) %% Type1=contents, Type2=termination
> | maybe_improper_list(Type1, Type2) %% Type1 and Type2 as above
>
> Either I'm missing something very obvious, or the compiler doesn't know
> about improper_list.


The documentation needs updating. Use nonempty_improper_list/2 instead.

It's not only that we really wanted to discourage the use of these 
types, but as a primitive, improper_list/2 does not make much sense when 
the list can be empty. If you really need that type you can always 
define it yourself as:

-type improper_list(T1,T2) :: [] | nonempty_improper_list(T1,T2).


Kostis