<h1>F# Compiler + Library Open Contribution Repository</h1>

<p>This repo is a place where you can contribute to the F# compiler.</p>

<p>The compiler is normally compiled as a set of .NET 4.0 components.</p>

<p><b>Before we start, are you sure you&#39;re in the right place?</b></p>

<li>To learn what F# is and why it&#39;s interesting, go to<ahref="http://fsharp.org">fsharp.org</a></li>

<li>To get a free F# environment, go to<ahref="http://fsharp.org/use/windows">fsharp.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>

<li>If you want to to use F# in Visual Studio 2010, 2012 or 2013, go to<ahref="http://fsharp.net">fsharp.net</a>.</li>

To emphasize, this distribution should not be seen as a way to &quot;get&quot; an F#

compiler for immediate use. For that you&#39;re better off going to<ahref="http://fsharp.org">fsharp.org</a>.

This repo is where you can contribute to the F# compiler.

To learn what F# is and why it&#39;s interesting, go to<ahref="http://fsharp.org">fsharp.org</a>.

To get a free F# environment, go to<ahref="http://fsharp.org/use/windows">fsharp.org</a>.

<b>License:</b> Contributions made to this repo are subject to terms and conditions of the Apache License, Version 2.0. A

<b>Questions?</b> If you have questions about the source code, please ask in the issues and discussion forums.

<h3>Compilation Instructions</h3>

<p>When you build the compiler using the standard instructions below, you get<code>fsc.exe</code>,<code>fsi.exe</code>,<code>FSharp.Core.dll</code>,<code>FSharp.Compiler.dll</code> and some related DLLs.</p>

The compiler binaries produced are "private" and

strong-named signed with a test key (src\fsharp\test.snk). They use CLI assembly version nunmber 2.9.9.999. You can place these components in the GAC but they will not replace

the components used by Visual Studio or other normal F# programs.

<h3>Compilation Instructions</h3>

<h3>Notes on the build</h3>

The prerequisites and build command line for compiling the source (on Windows) are shown

later in this README. Here's the logic of the build:

<li>We first need an existing F# compiler, using the one in the 'lkg' directory. Let's assume this compiler has an FSharp.Core.dll with version X.</li>

We use this compiler to compile the source in this distribution, to produce a "proto" compiler, in the Proto

directory. When run, this compiler still relies on the FSharp.Core.dll with version X.

We use the proto compiler to compile the source for FSharp.Core.dll in this distribution, producing

an FSharp.Core.dll with the version identified in src\source-build-version, usually 1.9.999.

We use the proto compiler to compile the source for FSharp.Compiler.dll, fsc.exe, fsi.exe and other

binaries found in this distribution. When run, these binaries will rely on the FSharp.Core.dll with version

1.9.999. This is good, since it means the 1.9.999 binaries now form a consistent, bootstrapped compiler. If

you like you should now be able to throw away the compiler with version X.

Some additional tools are required to build the compiler, notably fslex.exe, fsyacc.exe,

FSharp.PowerPack.Build.Tasks.dll, FsSrGen.exe, FSharp.SRGen.Build.Tasks.dll and the other

tools found in the lkg directory. These are "Last Known Good" binaries created from a version of the F# Power Pack

on CodePlex. If you like you can throw away these binaries and use your own compiled versions of these tools.

The compiler is compiled as a set of .NET 4.0 components using a bootstrap process.

When you build the compiler using the standard instructions below, you get<code>fsc.exe</code>,<code>fsi.exe</code>,<code>FSharp.Core.dll</code>,<code>FSharp.Compiler.dll</code> and some related DLLs.

<h3>1. Building a Proto Compiler and the F# core library for .net 4.0, .net 2.0, and .net portable profile 47</h3>

<h3>1. Building a Proto Compiler</h3>

<p>This uses the lkg compiler to build. Note that you need the .NET framework 3.5 installed on your machine in order to complete this step.</p>

cd src

gacutil /i ..\lkg\FSharp-2.0.50726.900\bin\FSharp.Core.dll

msbuild fsharp-proto-build.proj

<h3>2. Building an F# (Debug) library, compiler, type providers and unit tests</h3>

<p>This uses the proto compiler to build FSharp.Core.dll, FSharp.Compiler.dll and fsc.exe to run on for Mono/.NET 4.0.</p>

msbuild fsharp-library-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

msbuild fsharp-compiler-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

msbuild fsharp-typeproviders-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

msbuild fsharp-library-unittests-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

msbuild fsharp-library-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net20

msbuild fsharp-library-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=portable47

<h3>2. Building an F# (Debug) compiler for .NET 4.0 profile</h3>

<p>This uses the proto compiler to build the FSharp.Compiler.dll and fsc.exe to run on for Mono/.NET 4.0.</p>

<h3>3. Running Tests</h3>

First use the provided script to add the built FSharp.Core to the

GAC, add required strong name validation skips, and NGen the compiler.

Requires admin privileges.

msbuild fsharp-compiler-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

</pre><p>[Optional] Use the provided script to update the GAC, add required strong name validation skips, and NGen. Requires admin privileges.<pre>

update.cmd debug -ngen

<h3>3. Verify the F# compiler build with simple smoke test</h3>

<p>There are language tests under the<code>tests</code> directory. The test apparatus uses batch files, assuming<ahref="http://www.perl.org/get.html">Perl</a> (ActiveState Perl 5.16.3 is known to work fine) is installed. You can run these on Windows using:</p>

cd ..\tests

BuildTestTools.cmd debug

Runtests.cmd debug fsharp

Runtests.cmd debug fsharpqa

Runtests.cmd debug coreunit

For more details on how to run, debug, and write tests, see<ahref="tests\TESTGUIDE.html">tests\TESTGUIDE.html</a>.

<li>Simple FSI run and quit test.</li>

<p>You can also use the F# compiler and F# interactive as follows:</p>

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsc.exe /help

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsi.exe /help

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsi.exe

1 + 1;;

#q;;

</pre><li>Verify tool command lines</li><pre>

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsi.exe /help

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsc.exe /help

<li>Compile hello world.</li><pre>

<p>Compile hello world.</p>

echo printfn "hello world"> hello.fs

..\Debug\net40\bin\fsc.exe hello.fs

copy ..\Debug\net40\bin\FSharp.Core.dll .

del /q FSharp.Core.dll

<h3>4. Building FSharp.Data.TypeProviders for .NET 4.0</h3>

<p>This uses the proto compiler to build the type provider assembly FSharp.Data.TypeProviders.dll for .NET 4.0.</p>

msbuild fsharp-typeproviders-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

<h3>5. Building F# Core Unit Tests for .NET 4.0</h3>

<p>This uses the proto compiler to build the unit tests that check some parts of FSharp.Core.dll and FSharp.Compiler.dll. You must have<ahref="http://nunit.org/?p=download">NUnit</a> (2.6.3 is known to work fine) installed.</p>

msbuild fsharp-library-unittests-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40

<p><b>Running Tests</b>

<p>Below are the very basic commands you can use to execute the included unit tests and general compiler/runtime tests.

For more details on how to run, debug, and write tests, see<ahref="tests\TESTGUIDE.html">tests\TESTGUIDE.html</a>.</p>

<p>There are language tests under the<code>tests</code> directory. The test apparatus uses batch files, assuming<ahref="http://www.perl.org/get.html">Perl</a> (ActiveState Perl 5.16.3 is known to work fine) is installed. You can run these on Windows using:</p>

cd ..\tests

BuildTestTools.cmd debug

Runtests.cmd debug fsharp

Runtests.cmd debug fsharpqa

Runtests.cmd debug coreunit</pre>

<h3>6. [Alternate Build Instructions] Build an optimised F# (Release) compiler for .NET 4.0 profile</h3>

<h3>4. [Optional] Building and testing the "release" compiler</h3>

<p>This uses the proto compiler to build the FSharp.Compiler.dll and fsc.exe to run on for Mono/.NET 4.0.</p>

msbuild fsharp-compiler-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=net40 /p:Configuration=Release

</pre><p>[Optional] Use the provided script to update the GAC, add required strong name validation skips, and NGen. Requires admin privileges.<pre>

update.cmd release -ngen

<h3>7. Verify the optimised F# compiler buildwithsimple smoke test</h3>

<h3>5. [Optional] Open a solutionwithVisual Studio</h3>

<li>Simple FSI run and quit test.</li>

<pre> ..\Release\net40\bin\fsi.exe

1 + 1;;

#q;;

</pre><li>Verify tool command lines</li><pre>

..\Release\net40\bin\fsi.exe /help

..\Release\net40\bin\fsc.exe /help

<li>Compile hello world.</li>

echo printfn "hello world"> hello.fs

..\Release\net40\bin\fsc.exe hello.fs

copy ..\Release\net40\bin\FSharp.Core.dll .

hello.exe

del /q hello.fs

del /q FSharp.Core.dll

You can use "fsharp.sln" to browse source code using Visual Studio.

However, you need to complete step 1) and 2) in order to properly

open this solution. In addition, FSharp.Core.Unittests project requires NUnit installed.

<h3>Notes on the build</h3>

<h3>8. [Optional] Open a solution with Visual Studio</h3>

The compiler binaries produced are "private" and

strong-named signed with a test key (src\fsharp\test.snk). They use CLI assembly version nunmber 2.9.9.999. You can place these components in the GAC but they will not replace

the components used by Visual Studio or other normal F# programs.

The prerequisites and build command line for compiling the source (on Windows) are shown

later in this README. Here's the logic of the build:

<li>We first need an existing F# compiler, using the one in the 'lkg' directory. Let's assume this compiler has an FSharp.Core.dll with version X.</li>

We use this compiler to compile the source in this distribution, to produce a "proto" compiler, in the Proto

directory. When run, this compiler still relies on the FSharp.Core.dll with version X.

We use the proto compiler to compile the source for FSharp.Core.dll in this distribution, producing

an FSharp.Core.dll with the version identified in src\source-build-version, usually 1.9.999.

We use the proto compiler to compile the source for FSharp.Compiler.dll, fsc.exe, fsi.exe and other

binaries found in this distribution. When run, these binaries will rely on the FSharp.Core.dll with version

1.9.999. This is good, since it means the 1.9.999 binaries now form a consistent, bootstrapped compiler. If

you like you should now be able to throw away the compiler with version X.

Some additional tools are required to build the compiler, notably fslex.exe, fsyacc.exe,

FSharp.PowerPack.Build.Tasks.dll, FsSrGen.exe, FSharp.SRGen.Build.Tasks.dll and the other

tools found in the lkg directory. These are "Last Known Good" binaries created from a version of the F# Power Pack

on CodePlex. If you like you can throw away these binaries and use your own compiled versions of these tools.

<p> You can use "fsharp.sln" to browse source code using Visual Studio. However, you need to complete step 1) and 2) in order to properly open this solution. In addition, FSharp.Core.Unittests project requires NUnit installed.</p>