abstract val with type Unit

abstract class X {
 val x
}

does not compile because you need to be able to infer a type for x. Since it is an abstract value, you need to annotate it to allow the type inferer to find it. Now :

abstract class X {
 val x: Unit
}

compiles fine, since you provide a type for x. Unit is a valid type in Scala. a Unit type value has probably no interest at all, but if you turn it into a lazy val, it becomes a one-time evaluation with no return value, which is something for which some functional gurus could kill you, but otherwise, still a possibility in Scala. A random example :

scala> abstract class X {
  val x: Unit
}

-> defined class X

scala> class Y extends X {
 lazy val x = println("using x for first time")
 def useX = {x ; println("lunch time") ; x}
}
-> defined class Y

scala> val y = new Y

-> y: Y = Y@1a4d5c6

scala> y.useX

->
using x for first time
lunchtime
 
2011/8/6 Antoras <mail [at] antoras [dot] de>

Hello,

following code does not compile:

abstract class X {
 val x
}

But this does:

abstract class X {
 val x: Unit
}

I know, a value of type Unit doesn't make any sense. This is more a theoretical question. Why have I explicitly declare a value as type Unit? Is is because it makes no sense?

Thanks
Antoras

--
Alex REPAIN
ENSEIRB-MATMECA - student
TECHNICOLOR R&D - intern
BORDEAUX I      - master's student
SCALA           - enthusiast