In this function "f" :
def f(x: => Int) : Int = x * x * x //> f: (x: => Int)Int
var y = 0 //> y : Int = 0
f {
y += 1
println("invoked")
y
} //> invoked
//| invoked
//| invoked
//| res0: Int = 6
"f" is invoked same amount of times as "x" parameter is multiplied.
But why is function invoked multiple times ?
Should "f" not expand to 1 * 1 * 1 not 1 * 2 * 3 ?
Your x is not a function, it is a by-name parameter, and its type is a parameterless method type.
Parameterless method type means the same as def x, something that is evaluated every time you reference it. By reference, we mean x and not x.apply() or x().
The expression you're passing to your function f is evaluated every time x is referenced in f. That expression is the whole thing in braces, a block expression. A block is a sequence of statements followed by the result expression at the end.
Here's another explanation: https://stackoverflow.com/a/13337382/1296806
But let's not call it a function, even if it behaves like one under the covers.
Here is the language used in the spec:
http://www.scala-lang.org/files/archive/spec/2.11/04-basic-declarations-and-definitions.html#by-name-parameters
It's not a value type because you can't write val i: => Int.
It was a big deal when they changed the implementation so you could pass a by-name arg to another method without evaluating it first. There was never a question that you can pass function values around like that. For example:
scala> def k(y: => Int) = 8
k: (y: => Int)Int
scala> def f(x: => Int) = k(x) // this used to evaluate x
f: (x: => Int)Int
scala> f { println("hi") ; 42 }
res8: Int = 8
An exception was made to "preserve the by-name behavior" of the incoming x.
This mattered to people because of eta expansion:
scala> def k(y: => Int)(z: Int) = y + y + z
k: (y: => Int)(z: Int)Int
scala> def f(x: => Int) = k(x)(_) // normally, evaluate what you can now
f: (x: => Int)Int => Int
scala> val g = f { println("hi") ; 42 }
g: Int => Int = <function1>
scala> g(6)
hi
hi
res11: Int = 90
The question is how many greetings do you expect?
More quirks:
scala> def f(x: => Int) = (1 to 5) foreach (_ => x)
f: (x: => Int)Unit
scala> def g(x: () => Int) = (1 to 5) foreach (_ => x())
g: (x: () => Int)Unit
scala> var y = 0
y: Int = 0
scala> y = 0 ; f { y += 1 ; println("hi") ; y }
hi
hi
hi
hi
hi
y: Int = 5
scala> y = 0 ; g { y += 1 ; println("hi") ; () => y }
hi
y: Int = 1
scala> y = 0 ; g { () => y += 1 ; println("hi") ; y }
hi
hi
hi
hi
hi
y: Int = 5
Functions don't cause this problem:
scala> object X { def f(i: Int) = i ; def f(i: => Int) = i+1 }
defined object X
scala> X.f(0)
res12: Int = 0
scala> trait Y { def f(i: Int) = i }
defined trait Y
scala> object X extends Y { def f(i: => Int) = i+1 }
defined object X
scala> X.f(0)
<console>:11: error: ambiguous reference to overloaded definition,
both method f in object X of type (i: => Int)Int
and method f in trait Y of type (i: Int)Int
match argument types (Int)
X.f(0)
^
Compare method types:
http://www.scala-lang.org/files/archive/spec/2.11/03-types.html#method-types
This is not a pedantic distinction; irrespective of the current implementation, it can be confusing to think of a by-name parameter as "really" a function.
Another way of saying what has already been said is that inside f you invoke the function x three times. The first time it increments the y var and returns 1. The second time it again increments y returning 2 and the third time it again increments y and returns 3.
If you want it invoked only once then you may want to do something like this:
def f(x: => Int) : Int = x * x * x
var y = 0
lazy val xx = {
y += 1
println("invoked")
y
}
f {xx}
This will print 'invoked' only once and result in a returned value of 1.
x: T means need a T value.
x: => T means need a T value, but it is call by name.
x: () => T This means need a function given nothing to T
However, this question is not related to the difference between function and method.
The reason is call by name is invoked every time you try to use it.
change to call by value def f(x: Int) : Int, it will only invoke once.
Because you increment y by 1 every time the argument is used inside f
The result which your function f() returns is changing, because there is a global variable that is incremented with every subsequent call to that function.
the x in f(x: => Int) is interpreted as "some function that returns Int". So it has to be called 3 times to evaluate the x*x*x expression. With every call, you increment the global variable and return the result, which is how you arrive at three subsequent natural numbers (because the global variable is initialized to 0). Hence 1*2*3.
Related
how do I pass different parameters for my function inside a higher order function. my code below.
val sum = (a: Int, b:Int) => a + b
val x = 7
val y = 9
def sq (x: Int, y: Int, f: (Int, Int)=> Int): Int = {
x + y * f(a,b)
}
println(sq(x,y,sum(2,3)))
This doesn't work and throws an error that 'a' is not defined.
The parameter list for sq looks ok.
The call to sq isn’t right, the function would get evaluated before it gets passed in. Assuming it got by the compiler, which of course it doesn’t.
Passing in a function does not mean its arguments come along for the ride. Passing in a function means the caller may not know what arguments to use or even if the function should be called. The sq function has to supply arguments when it calls it. a and b mean nothing outside the definition of sum. sq could supply x and y as arguments to sum.
Just as an addition to #Nathan answer. This example would make sense:
val sum = (a: Int, b:Int) => a + b
def sq (x: Int, y: Int, f: (Int, Int)=> Int): Int = {
x + y * f(x, y)
}
val x = 7
val y = 9
println(sq(x,y,sum))
This would be evaluated in your sgfunction like:
7 + 9 * sum(7, 8)
I hope this makes sense.
In addition to the #Nathan Hughes answer, if you want to pass the different argument to the sum function on each call you need to change your sq method like
def sq (x: Int, y: Int, f: (Int, Int)=> Int): (Int, Int)=> Int = {
x + y * f(_: Int, _:Int)
}
Insted of expecting the int from the sq method return partially applied function of type (Int, Int) => Int from `sq' then pass other argument to that function like,
sq(10, 20, sum)(1, 2) // 1st approach
//2nd approach would be
//You can hold the function in another variable and call that function with other arguments
val partialSum = sq(10,20, sum)
partialSum(1, 2)
and you will get your result.
Or if you still want that sq method should return Int, you can define your sq method like
def sq (x: Int, y: Int, f: (Int, Int)=> Int)(a:Int, b:Int):Int = {
x + y * f(a, b)
}
scala> sq(10,20, sum)(1,2)
res2: Int = 70
In order to use infix notation, I have the following example of scala code.
implicit class myclass(n:Int ){
private def mapCombineReduce(map : Int => Double, combine: (Double,Double) => Double, zero: Double )(a:Int, b:Double): Double =
if( a > b) zero else combine ( map(a), mapCombineReduce(map,combine,zero)(a+1,b) )
var default_value_of_z : Int = 0
def sum( z : Int = default_value_of_z) = mapReduce( x=>x , (x,y) => x+y+z, 0)(1,n)
def ! = mapCombineReduce( x=> x, (x,y) => x*y, 1)(1,n)
}
4 !
4 sum 1 //sum the elements from 1 to 7 and each time combine the result, add 1 to the result.
4 sum
Is there any way in scala 2.12 to run 4 sum without have a double declaration of the sum method inside myclass ?
No, because default arguments are only used if argument list is provided
def f(x: Int = 1) = x
f // interpreted as trying to do eta-expansion
In fact starting Scala 3 it will indeed eta-expand
scala> def f(x: Int = 1) = x
def f(x: Int): Int
scala> f
val res1: Int => Int = Lambda$7473/1229666909#61a1990e
so in your case you will have to write 4.sum() with argument list present.
I'm struggling to write an anonymous function with by-name parameter. Here is what i tired.
val fun = (x: Boolean, y: =>Int) => if(x) y else 0
This fail with following error.
Error:(106, 31) identifier expected but '=>' found.
val fun = (x: Boolean, y: =>Int) => if(x) y else 0
^
Error:(109, 3) ')' expected but '}' found.
}
^
How ever same code as a standard function works.
def fun1(x: Boolean, y: =>Int) = if(x) y else 0
Any pointers ?
---------------Edit-----------------
I had a two part problem. senia answer solved the initial case. Suppose I have a function takes a function.
def xxx[A,B](f:(A,=>B)=>B)={}
As per senia solution it works.
val fun: (Int, =>Boolean) => Boolean = (x, y) => y
xxx[Int,Boolean](fun)
However I wanna get rid of the intermediate fun and call xxx with anonymous function. Doing
xxx((Int, =>Boolean) => Boolean = (x, y) => y)
Will not work. Any ideas how to do this ?
You could specify type of anonymous function, instead of types of parameters like this:
val fun: (Boolean, => Int) => Int = (x, y) => if(x) y else 0
scala> fun(false, {println("!"); 2})
res1: Int = 0
scala> fun(true, {println("!"); 2})
!
res2: Int = 2
=> Int is not a correct type name, it's a special syntax for by-name parameters in parameters block of method declaration or anonymous function type.
See SLS 4.6 Function Declarations and Definitions
ParamType ::= Type
| ‘=>’ Type
| Type ‘*’
In case you don't want to assign anonymous function to variable you could either use type inference like this:
xxx[Int, Boolean]{ (x, y) => y }
Or specify its type this way:
xxx({ (x, y) => y }: ((Int, => Boolean) => Boolean))
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I am new to scala, I have a use case where I want to define a partial function to add three numbers in which one number is constant and two
numbers can be passed as inputs and define another method which can take the partial
function as input and gives its cube as result.
Well... That depends on where is your constant coming from?
Choice 1 - Your function forms a closure with a constant present in scope.
val yourConstant = 10
val pf: PartialFunction[(Int, Int), Int] = {
case (x, y) => x + y + yourConstant
}
pf((5, 10))
Choice 2 - Your function has a local constant.
val pf: PartialFunction[(Int, Int), Int] = {
case (x, y) => x + y + 10
}
pf((5, 10))
Also, as many others pointed out - this does not look like a use case of partial function. Are you sure that you want a Partial Function and not a partially applied function ?
if you were looking for a partially applied function then,
// first you need a curried function
// Curries function are function which can take parameters in steps to build intermidatary functions.
def normalDef(c: Int)(x: Int, y: Int): Int = c + y + x
// normalDef: normalDef[](val c: Int)(val x: Int,val y: Int) => Int
// now you can "partially apply" this "curried" function to your partially applied function
val addTo10PartiallyApplied = normalDef(10) _
// addTo10PartiallyApplied: (Int, Int) => Int = $Lambda$1240/1924827254#46202553
val total = addTo10PartiallyApplied(1, 2)
// total: Int = 13
The following partial function adds 12345 to each number in the tuple passed to it
scala> val addConstantTo: PartialFunction[(Int, Int), Int] = {
| case (a, b) => a + b + 12345
| }
addConstantTo: PartialFunction[(Int, Int),Int] = <function1>
scala> addConstantTo((12, 34))
res4: Int = 12391
This expands on the concept, by programmatically defining a partial function which adds any number to the elements of a tuple:
scala> def addTo(c: Int): PartialFunction[(Int, Int), Int] = {
| case (a, b) => a + b + c
| }
addTo: (c: Int)PartialFunction[(Int, Int),Int]
scala> val pf = addTo(3)
pf: PartialFunction[(Int, Int),Int] = <function1>
scala> pf((1, 2))
res5: Int = 6
Let that sink in for a bit :)
I seem to remember Scala treating methods ending in _= specially, so something like this:
object X { var x: Int = 0; def y_=(n : Int) { x = n }}
X.y = 1
should call X.y_=(1). However, in 2.8.0 RC1, I get an error message:
<console>:6: error: value y is not a member of object X
X.y = 1
^
Interestingly, just trying to call the method without parentheses fails as well:
scala> X.y_= 1
<console>:1: error: ';' expected but integer literal found.
X.y_= 1
^
Am I misremembering something which does actually exist or did I just invent it out of whole cloth?
This is one of those corner cases in Scala. You cannot have a setter without a getter and vice versa.
The following works fine:
scala> object X {
| var x: Int = 0
| def y = x
| def y_=(n: Int) { x = n }
| }
defined module X
scala> X.y = 45
scala> X.y
res0: Int = 45
scala> object X { var x: Int = 0; def y_=(n : Int) { x = n }}
defined module X
scala>
scala> X y_= 1
scala> X.x
res1: Int = 1
scala> object X { var x: Int = _; def y = x ; def y_=(n: Int) { x = n } }
defined module X
scala> X.y = 1
scala> X.y
res2: Int = 1
scala>