[Caml-list] Thread.exit

[Caml-list] Thread.exit

[Matej Kosik]

Hello,

I use the threads library.

I would like to ask if

     Thread.exit

must have the following type:

     unit -> unit

instead of:

     unit -> 'a

i.e. the same as the type of Pervasives.exit.

In my code:

   let bits = try receive ()
              with Channel.End -> close ();
                                  Thread.exit ();
                                  exit 0
   in

I must make a bogus call "exit 0" empty to make the type-checker happy.
If "Thread.exit" had the same type as "Pervasives.empty", it would not 
be necessary.

It is not a big problem, but I think this is unnecessary constraint and 
if removed, I could simply write:

   let bits = try receive ()
              with Channel.End -> close ();
                                  Thread.exit ()
   in

(i.e. without confusing bogus calls)

Maybe I am just too sensitive, but I would still be interested in these 
small improvements, if they make sense.

Regards,

Re: [Caml-list] Thread.exit

[oliver]

Hello,


On Sat, Dec 17, 2011 at 01:30:56PM +0000, Matej Kosik wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I use the threads library.
> 
> I would like to ask if
> 
>     Thread.exit
> 
> must have the following type:
> 
>     unit -> unit
> 
> instead of:
> 
>     unit -> 'a
> 
> i.e. the same as the type of Pervasives.exit.
> 
> In my code:
> 
>   let bits = try receive ()
>              with Channel.End -> close ();
>                                  Thread.exit ();
>                                  exit 0
>   in
> 
> I must make a bogus call "exit 0" empty to make the type-checker happy.
> If "Thread.exit" had the same type as "Pervasives.empty", it would
> not be necessary.
[...]

If you have type problems, the surrounding code will await
a type different than unit; "bits" looks like int...

Also you should be aware that Pervasives.exit exits the whole
process, but Threads.exit terminates only the thread.


Ciao,
   Oliver