Original bug ID: 6655
Reporter: dsheets
Assigned to: @alainfrisch
Status: resolved (set by @alainfrisch on 2016-12-08T10:54:01Z)
Resolution: suspended
Priority: normal
Severity: feature
Version: 4.02.1
Category: standard library
Has duplicate: #5072
Monitored by: @whitequark dsheets @ygrek @dbuenzli @Chris00

Bug description

The core library http://caml.inria.fr/pub/docs/manual-ocaml/core.html encompasses built-in types, predefined exceptions, and the Pervasives module.

The built-in types and predefined exceptions may be shadowed.

The built-in types and predefined exceptions have associated documentation at the above URL but they don't have a corresponding mli location as they are built-in.

Because of these issues, I propose that Pervasives expose documented aliases for all built-in types and exceptions. This would provide a fixed, standard alias in the event of shadowing and a well-defined reference for these special types and exception constructors. The documentation of exceptions will have to be slightly expanded to mention that they are in fact aliases of the predefined exceptions as exception constructor equality is important but inexpressible in signatures. A link to the above page of the OCaml manual should also be included.

Steps to reproduce

Compare Pervasives to http://caml.inria.fr/pub/docs/manual-ocaml/core.html.

Additional information

I will produce a patch on demand if desired.