Pattern matching over lazy values

Pattern matching over lazy values

[Jon Harrop]

Incidentally, would it not be enormously beneficial to be able to pattern 
match over lazy values?

This syntax is never used:

# fun (x y) -> true;;
Syntax error: ')' expected, the highlighted '(' might be unmatched

so you can allow "lazy foo" as a pattern:

# let force (lazy n) = n;;
val force : 'a lazy_t -> 'a

and then make the pattern match force lazy values only as it comes across 
them, so you can pattern match over lazy trees. I can't see any way to do 
this without hacking the compiler...

-- 
Dr Jon D Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy Ltd.
OCaml for Scientists
http://www.ffconsultancy.com/products/ocaml_for_scientists/?e