Added default Signatures using Generics

[jfischoff]

Followup to the old email I sent.

Now Default instances can be created like Aeson instances

$ ghci -XDeriveGeneric Data/Default.hs  
>>> import GHC.Generics
>>> data Foo = Bar | Baz | Quux deriving(Show, Generic)
>>> instance Default Foo
>>> def :: Foo
Bar

If you are worried about backward compatibility pre 7.4 I can add the #defines and cabal flags necessary for conditional builds.

Best,
Jonathan

[mauke]

What is this good for?

[jfischoff]

It makes it easier to make instances.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 30, 2013, at 11:44 PM, mauke notifications@github.com wrote:

What is this good for?

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[mauke]

Normal version:

data Foo = Bar | Baz
instance Default Foo where def = Bar

Generics version:

{-# LANGUAGE DeriveGeneric #-}
import GHC.Generics
data Foo = Bar | Baz deriving (Generic)
instance Default Foo

I don't think this is easier.

[jfischoff]

It is if you are already using generics.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 31, 2013, at 8:31 AM, mauke notifications@github.com wrote:

Normal version:

data Foo = Bar | Baz
instance Default Foo where def = Bar
Generics version:

{-# LANGUAGE DeriveGeneric #-}
import GHC.Generics
data Foo = Bar | Baz deriving (Generic)
instance Default Foo
I don't think this is easier.

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[jfischoff]

Also adding default signatures doesn't mean you have to use them.

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 31, 2013, at 8:31 AM, mauke notifications@github.com wrote:

Normal version:

data Foo = Bar | Baz
instance Default Foo where def = Bar
Generics version:

{-# LANGUAGE DeriveGeneric #-}
import GHC.Generics
data Foo = Bar | Baz deriving (Generic)
instance Default Foo
I don't think this is easier.

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[jfischoff]

Here is a better example.

  {-# LANGUAGE DeriveGeneric #-}
  import GHC.Generics
  import Data.Default

  data BigRecord = BigRecord {
        foo0  :: Int,
        foo1  :: Int,
        foo2  :: Double,
        foo3  :: (Int, Int),
        foo4  :: Int,
        foo5  :: Int,
        foo6  :: Double,
        foo7  :: (Int, Int),
        foo8  :: Int,
        foo9  :: Int,
        foo10 :: Double,
        foo11 :: (Int, Int),
        foo12 :: Int,
        foo13 :: Int,
        foo14 :: Double,
        foo15 :: (Int, Int),
        foo16 :: Int,
        foo17 :: Int,
        foo18 :: Double,
        foo19 :: (Int, Int)
     }
     deriving(Generic, Show)

  instance Default BigRecord

That's much easier. Also, if you truly don't care about what the default is, it keeps up with modifications with the record. You could use Template Haskell to derive your instance, but Template Haskell adds constraints to the order of your declarations, which is restrictive. So I think generics are better solution when possible, and I would argue in this case they are possible and desirable.