[nix64]

I am looking at the page seen here

I cannot create the descendingSort function that is shown on that page.

My quicksort function looks like this:

quickSort2 _ [] = []
quickSort2 c (x:xs) =
	(quickSort2 c less) ++ (x:equal) ++ (quickSort2 c more)
	where less = filter (\y -> y `c` x == LT) xs
		  equal = filter (\y -> y `c` x == EQ) xs
		  more = filter (\y -> y `c` x == GT) xs

descending looks like this:

descending x y = compare y x

I put the two together to get the descendingSort function. This is where I get the error.

descendingSort = quickSort2 descending

(Error message from ghci):

Quote

test2.hs:102:28:
Ambiguous type variable `a' in the constraint:
`Ord a' arising from a use of `descending' at test2.hs:102:28-37
Possible cause: the monomorphism restriction applied to the following:
descendingSort :: [a] -> [a] (bound at test2.hs:102:0)
Probable fix: give these definition(s) an explicit type signature
or use -fno-monomorphism-restriction
Failed, modules loaded: none.

I don't really understand the error message. As mentioned in the wiki, descendingSort's type signature is supposed to be [a] -> [a], right? What am I doing wrong?

[Raynes]

nix64, on 15 Apr, 2009 - 02:34 PM, said:

I am looking at the page seen here

I cannot create the descendingSort function that is shown on that page.

My quicksort function looks like this:

quickSort2 _ [] = []
quickSort2 c (x:xs) =
	(quickSort2 c less) ++ (x:equal) ++ (quickSort2 c more)
	where less = filter (\y -> y `c` x == LT) xs
		  equal = filter (\y -> y `c` x == EQ) xs
		  more = filter (\y -> y `c` x == GT) xs

descending looks like this:

descending x y = compare y x

I put the two together to get the descendingSort function. This is where I get the error.

descendingSort = quickSort2 descending

(Error message from ghci):

Quote

test2.hs:102:28:
Ambiguous type variable `a' in the constraint:
`Ord a' arising from a use of `descending' at test2.hs:102:28-37
Possible cause: the monomorphism restriction applied to the following:
descendingSort :: [a] -> [a] (bound at test2.hs:102:0)
Probable fix: give these definition(s) an explicit type signature
or use -fno-monomorphism-restriction
Failed, modules loaded: none.

I don't really understand the error message. As mentioned in the wiki, descendingSort's type signature is supposed to be [a] -> [a], right? What am I doing wrong?

Okay, your problem is something called the monomorphism restriction. There is a good explanation about it here http://book.realworl...s.html#id609960

Now, the easiest thing you can do to fix this is add an explicit type signature. You were close, but the type signature is: (Ord a) => [a] -> [a]

This will clear up any problems.

This post has been edited by Raynes: 30 May 2009 - 05:30 AM