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Module Ppx_lwt

module Ppx_lwt : sig..end

Ppx syntax extension for Lwt


Ppx extensions

This extension adds the following syntax:

  • lwt-binding:

let%lwt ch = get_char stdin in
     code

is the same as bind (get_char stdin) (fun ch -> code).

Moreover, it supports parallel binding:

let%lwt x = do_something1 ()
     and y = do_something2 in
     code

will run do_something1 () and do_something2 (), then bind their results to x and y. It is the same as:

let t1 = do_something1
     and t2 = do_something2 in
     bind t1 (fun x -> bind t2 (fun y -> code))
  • exception catching:

try%lwt
       <expr>
     with
       <branches>

For example:

try%lwt
       f x
     with
       | Failure msg ->
           prerr_endline msg;
           return ()

is expanded to:

catch (fun () -> f x)
       (function
         | Failure msg ->
             prerr_endline msg;
             return ()
         | exn ->
             Lwt.fail exn)

Note that the exn -> Lwt.fail exn branch is automatically added when needed.

  • finalizer:

(<expr>) [%finally <expr>]

You can use [%lwt.finally ...] instead of [%finally ...].

  • assertion:

assert%lwt <expr>
  • for loop:

for%lwt i = <expr> to <expr> do
       <expr>
     done

and:

for%lwt i = <expr> downto <expr> do
       <expr>
     done
  • while loop:

while%lwt <expr> do
       <expr>
     done
  • pattern matching:

match%lwt <expr> with
       | <patt_1> -> <expr_1>
           ...
       | <patt_n> -> <expr_n>

Exception cases are also supported:

match%lwt <expr> with
       | exception <exn> -> <expr_1>
       | <patt_2> -> <expr_2>
           ...
       | <patt_n> -> <expr_n>
  • conditional:

if%lwt <expr> then
       <expr_1>
     else
       <expr_2>

and

if%lwt <expr> then <expr_1>
  • exception raising:

For all other expression, the construct

[%lwt <expr>]

is expanded to:

Lwt.catch (fun () -> <expr>) Lwt.fail

It allows to encode the old raise_lwt <e> as [%lwt raise <e>], and offers a convenient way to interact with non-Lwt code.

Debug

By default, the debug mode is enabled. This means that the backtrace versions of the bind, finalize and catch functions are used, enabling proper backtraces for the Lwt exceptions.

The debug mode can be disabled with the option -no-debug.

Sequence

It is also possible to sequence Lwt operations with the >> operator:

write stdio "Hello, " >> write stdio "world!"

By default, each operation must return unit Lwt.t. This constraint can be lifted with the option -no-strict-sequence. The operator can be disabled with the option -no-sequence.

Logging

The logging syntax extension is enabled with -log. It will replace expressions of the form:

Lwt_log.info_f ~section "x = %d" x

by

if Lwt_log.Section.level section <= Lwt_log.Info then
       Lwt_log.info_f ~section "x = %d" x
     else
       return ()

Notes:

  • The application must be complete. For example: Log.info "%d" will make compilation fail.
  • Debug messages are removed if the option -no-debug is passed.