catch not an rvalue

[Peter H|gfeldt]

1> X = (catch 22).
22

/Peter

On 19 Feb 2002, Hal Snyder wrote:

> Hope this isn't another RTFM, but I can't resist asking.
> Am going through the puzzle box while home with the flu.
> 
> During prototyping, it would be nice to replace
>   X = <risky expression>
> with
>   X = catch <risky expression>
> but the shell (and compiler) don't like that.
> 
> Just wondering why the syntax error is happening.
> Didn't see the answer in, e.g., Chap 6 of
>  http://www.erlang.org/download/erl_spec47.ps.gz 
> 
> 1>catch 22.
> 22
> 2> X=catch 22.
> ** 1: syntax error before: 'catch' **
> 
> but:
> 
> 3> F=fun()->catch 22 end.
> #Fun<erl_eval.19.30196098>
> 4> X=F().
> 22
>