Question

can someone help me to understand how to use Applicative style for writing Parsec parsers? This is the code i have:

module Main where
import Control.Applicative hiding (many)
import Text.Parsec
import Data.Functor.Identity
data Cmd = A | B deriving (Show)

main = do
  line <- getContents
  putStrLn . show $ parseCmd line

parseCmd :: String -> Either ParseError String
parseCmd input =  parse cmdParse "(parser)" input

cmdParse :: Parsec String () String
cmdParse = do
  slash <- char '/'
  whatever <- many alphaNum
  return (slash:whatever)

cmdParse2 :: String -> Parsec String () String
cmdParse2 = (:) <$> (char '/') <*> many alphaNum

but when i try to compile it, i get following:

/home/tomasherman/Desktop/funinthesun.hs:21:13:
    Couldn't match expected type `Parsec String () String'
                with actual type `[a0]'
    Expected type: a0 -> [a0] -> Parsec String () String
      Actual type: a0 -> [a0] -> [a0]
    In the first argument of `(<$>)', namely `(:)'
    In the first argument of `(<*>)', namely `(:) <$> (char '/')'
Failed, modules loaded: none.

The idea is that i want cmdParse2 to do same thing that cmdParse does, but using applicative stuff…my approach is probably completely wrong, i’m new to haskell

Answer 1

Your applicative usage is spot on, you just have an incorrect signature. Try:

cmdParse2 :: Parsec String () String