F# CAMP – Writing .NET applications in F# – Agenda

F# CAMP

Writing .NET applications in F#

• Open up new instance of Visual Studio 2015
• Make sure you have F# templates (in Other Languages)
• Let's stick to .NET Framework v4.5.1

Agenda

• F# Library (bowling score)
• F# Console app
• F# Build script - FAKE
• F# Test project - xUnit
• C# Window app - WPF (integration with F#)
• F# Web app

F# Library (bowling score)

• Create new, blank solution called "bowling" in directory of your choice

• Create new F# library called "bowling" in the solution

• Delete Script.fsx from the project
• Rename Library1.fs to Bowling.fs
• Open renamed file Bowling.fs in editor
• Remove generated code from the file, and insert module declaration:

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module Bowling

! Remember to save all changes when manipulating projects in Visual Studio (Ctrl + Shift + S)

• Copy code for Digit active pattern recognizer into Bowling module

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let (|Digit|_|) char =
    let zero = System.Convert.ToInt32 '0'
    if System.Char.IsDigit char then
        Some (System.Convert.ToInt32 char - zero)
    else
        None

• Copy code for parseScore function after Digit

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let rec parseScore (chars: list<char>) : list<Option<int>> =
    match chars with
    | [] -> []
    | 'X' :: rest -> Some 10 :: parseScore rest
    | Digit x :: '/' :: rest -> Some x :: Some (10 - x) :: parseScore rest
    | Digit x :: rest -> Some x :: parseScore rest
    | '-' :: '/' :: rest -> Some 0 :: Some 10 :: parseScore rest
    | '-' :: rest -> Some 0 :: parseScore rest
    | _ :: rest -> None :: parseScore rest

Test the code in Interactive

• Select all lines excluding module declaration
• Trigger Execute in Interactive
• In interactive window, enter following:

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let parseScoreResult = parseScore ['4'; '/'];;

Value of parseScoreResult

[Some 4; Some 6]

Exercise

• Extend Digit active pattern to recognize '-' character as well,
• Rename Digit to Pins to better reflect its intent after the change,
• Refactor parseScore function - make use of the fact that Pins recognizes now '-' and remove redundant pattern matching case(s),
• In interactive, make sure that after refactoring the code still works.

• Add countScore function

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let countScore (scores: list<int>) : int =
    let rec count frame scores =
        match scores with 
        | [] -> 0
        | 10 :: (b1 :: b2 :: _ as next) ->
            10 + b1 + b2 + (if frame = 10 then 0 else count (frame+1) next)
        | r1 :: r2 :: (b1 :: _ as next) when r1 + r2 = 10 ->
            10 + b1 +      (if frame = 10 then 0 else count (frame+1) next)
        | r1 :: r2 :: next ->
            r1 + r2 + count (frame+1) next

    count 1 scores

• Test the function in interactive:

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let countScoreResult = countScore [10;9;1;5;5;7;2;10;10;10;9;0;8;2;9;1;10];;

Value of countScoreResult

187

• Add sequence function

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let sequence (optionals: list<option<'a>>) : option<list<'a>> =
    let rec sequence' acc optionals =
        match optionals, acc with
        | [],_ -> 
            Option.map List.rev acc
        | Some h :: t, Some acc -> 
            sequence' (Some (h :: acc)) t
        | _ -> 
            None

    sequence' (Some []) optionals

• Test the function in interactive:

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let oneOption = sequence [Some "abc"; Some "def"; Some "ghi"];;

Value of oneOption

Some ["abc"; "def"; "ghi"]

• Add bowlingScore function

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let bowlingScore (score: string) : Option<int> =
    score.ToCharArray()
    |> Array.toList
    |> parseScore
    |> sequence
    |> Option.map countScore

• Test the function in interactive:

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let bowlingScoreResult = bowlingScore "X9/5/72XXX9-8/9/X";;

Value of bowlingScoreResult

Some 187

Summary

• Creating F# Library projects in VS
• Declaring Bowling module
• Testing code in interactive

Links

• Installing and using F# by Scott Wlaschin
• Organizing functions - Nested functions and modules by Scott Wlaschin

F# Console app

• Create new F# Console Application "bowling.console"
• Add project reference from "bowling.console" to "bowling"
• Compile "bowling" project

• Invoke Bowling.bowlingScore on example input and print output

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// Learn more about F# at http://fsharp.org
// See the 'F# Tutorial' project for more help.

[<EntryPoint>]
let main argv = 
    printfn "%A" (Bowling.bowlingScore "XXXXXXXXXXXX")
    0 // return an integer exit code

• Run it!

Exercise

Invoke Bowling.bowlingScore for each argument from argv (console arguments)

XXXXXXXXXXXXX 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9- 5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5 X9/5/72XXX9-8/9/X

Hint: Use Array.iter function to perform an action for each element from an array

Summary

• Creating F# console apps
• Printing to console

Links

• Formatted text using printf by Scott Wlaschin

F# Build script - FAKE

Paket for managing dependencies

• Create new directory ".paket" next to the ".sln" solution file
• Download paket.bootstrapper.exe from here and save it in ".paket" directory
• In console, change directory to where the solution file and ".paket" folder are located. Do not change directory to ".paket"
• Run paket.bootstrapper.exe from console to download newest Paket, and then invoke paket.exe init:

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> .paket\paket.bootrapper.exe
> .paket\paket.exe init

• In solution, add "New Solution Folder" called ".project"
• "Add Existing Item" - add "paket.dependencies" file to the ".project" solution folder
• Open "paket.dependencies" file in the VS editor

Modify the "paket.dependencies" file to add "Build" group and "FAKE" package:

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group Build
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

    nuget FAKE

Run paket install:

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> .paket\paket.exe install

Add "New Item", "build.cmd" to the ".project" solution folder:

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@echo off
cls
.paket\paket.bootstrapper.exe
.paket\paket.exe restore
packages\Build\FAKE\tools\FAKE.exe build.fsx %*

Add "New Item", "build.fsx" to the ".project" solution folder:

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#r @"packages/Build/FAKE/tools/FakeLib.dll"

open Fake

Target "Build" (fun _ ->
    MSBuildRelease "bin" "Build" ["bowling.sln"]
    |> Log "Build output"
)

RunTargetOrDefault "Build"

Run the build script:

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build.cmd

Summary

• Paket for managing dependencies
• FAKE for build scripts
• Invoking build script from command line

Links

• FAKE
• Paket
• ProjectScaffold

F# Test project - xUnit

• Create new F# Library "bowling.tests" for .NET 4.5.1,
• Remove "Script.fsx" file,
• Rename "Library1.fs" to "Tests.fs",
• "Add new item", "App.config" application configuration file to "bowling.tests",
• Add Project Reference from "bowling.tests" to "bowling",
• Remove boilerplate code and declare Bowling.Tests module:

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module Bowling.Tests

! Save all changes in Visual Studio

• Open "paket.dependencies" in VS editor,
• Add "xunit.runner.console" package to "Build" group,
• Add new group "Tests" with "framework: net451",
• Add "FSharp.Core" 4.0.0.1 with "redirects: force" option, "xUnit" and "FsUnit.xUnit" nugets to "Tests" group

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group Build
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

    nuget FAKE
    nuget xunit.runner.console

group Tests
    framework: net451
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2
    
    nuget FSharp.Core 4.0.0.1 redirects: force
    nuget xUnit
    nuget FsUnit.xUnit

• Add "New Item", "paket.references" (General -> Text File) to "bowling.tests" project
• Open "paket.references" file in VS editor and fill it with below:

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group Tests
    FSharp.Core
    xUnit
    FsUnit.xUnit

Run "paket install":

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> .paket\paket.exe install

• Open "build.fsx" build script in VS editor,
• Add "Tests" build target:

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open Fake.Testing // for testing helper functions

Target "Tests" (fun _ ->
    ["bin/bowling.tests.dll"]
    |> xUnit2 (fun xunitParams -> 
        { xunitParams with ToolPath = @"packages/Build/xunit.runner.console/" 
                                    + @"tools/xunit.console.exe" }
    )
)

At the bottom of "build.fsx", specify Target dependency and change default target to "Tests":

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// Targets above    

"Build"
    ==> "Tests"

RunTargetOrDefault "Tests"

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#r @"packages/Build/FAKE/tools/FakeLib.dll"

open Fake
open Fake.Testing

Target "Build" (fun _ ->
    MSBuildRelease "bin" "Build" ["bowling.sln"]
    |> Log "Build output"
)

Target "Tests" (fun _ ->
    ["bin/bowling.tests.dll"]
    |> xUnit2 (fun xunitParams -> 
        { xunitParams with ToolPath = @"packages/Build/xunit.runner.console/" 
                                    + @"tools/xunit.console.exe" }
    )
)

"Build"
    ==> "Tests"

RunTargetOrDefault "Tests"

• Open "Tests.fs" source file in editor,
• Add unit test for checking score of 12 Strikes:

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module Bowling.Tests

open Xunit
open FsUnit.Xunit
    
[<Fact>]
let ``12 strikes in row`` () =
    let expected = Some 270
    let actual = Bowling.bowlingScore "XXXXXXXXXXXX"
    actual |> should equal expected

Run the build script (without any additional parameters):

Exercises

• Fix the test
• Add three more test cases for following scores:
  • "9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-"
  • "5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5"
  • "X9/5/72XXX9-8/9/X"

Summary

• Creating test library in F#
• Adding test nuget packages with Paket
• Attaching tests to the build script pipeline
• Writing unit tests in F#

Links

• FsUnit project
• Using F# for testing by Scott Wlaschin
• An introduction to property-based testing by Scott Wlaschin
• Unquote project

C# Window app - WPF (integration with F#)

• Add C# Windows "WPF Application" project, "bowling.wpf" to the solution,
• Add project reference from "bowling.wpf" to "bowling",
• Design awesome GUI with a TextBox, TextBlock and a Button:

• Open "paket.dependencies" file,
• Add "FSharp.Core" 4.0.0.1 package with "redirects: force" option to main group,
• Use "framework: net451" for main group as well:

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framework: net451
source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

nuget FSharp.Core 4.0.0.1 redirects: force

group Build
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

    nuget FAKE
    nuget xunit.runner.console

group Tests
    framework: net451
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2
    
    nuget FSharp.Core 4.0.0.1 redirects: force
    nuget xUnit
    nuget FsUnit.xUnit

Add "New Item", "paket.references" to "bowling.wpf":

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FSharp.Core

Run paket install:

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> .paket\paket.exe install

Add action on button click:

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private void button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    var input = textBox.Text;
    var score = Bowling.bowlingScore(input);
    textBlock.Text = 
        FSharpOption<int>.get_IsSome(score) ? 
        "Score: " + score.Value.ToString() : 
        "Wrong score!";
}

Run it!

The F# Component Design Guidelines

Below snippet doesn't feel nice in C#:

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textBlock.Text = 
    FSharpOption<int>.get_IsSome(score) ? 
    "Score: " + score.Value.ToString() : 
    "Wrong score!";

The F# Component Design Guidelines

http://fsharp.org/specs/component-design-guidelines/

✔ Consider using the TryGetValue pattern instead of returning F# option values (option) in vanilla .NET APIs, and prefer method overloading to taking F# option values as arguments.

This tick can be found in this section of above guidelines.

Exercise

Create new function TryGetBowlingScore in Bowling module for better interop with C#, conforming to the F# Component Design Guidelines. Use the new function in code behind button click in C#.

Skeleton of the function

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let TryGetBowlingScore(score: string, result : byref<int>) : bool = 
    result <- 0
    false

New stuff - assign value operator

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let mutable x = 0
x <- 5

Using .NET libraries from F#

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let (i1success,i1) = System.Int32.TryParse("123");
if i1success then printfn "parsed as %i" i1 else printfn "parse failed"

let dict = new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string,string>()
dict.Add("a","hello")
let (e1success,e1) = dict.TryGetValue("a")
let (e2success,e2) = dict.TryGetValue("b")

let makeResource name = 
    { new System.IDisposable 
        with member this.Dispose() = printfn "%s disposed" name }

https://fsharpforfunandprofit.com/posts/completeness-seamless-dotnet-interop/

Summary

• Referencing F# code from C# (FSharp.Core package)
• Conforming to the F# Component Design Guidelines
• Using .NET libraries from F#

Links

• The F# Component Design Guidelines
• Seamless interoperation with .NET libraries by Scott Wlaschin

F# Web app

• Add F# Console application project, "bowling.web" to the solution,
• Add project reference from "bowling.web" to "bowling",

• Open "paket.dependencies" file,
• Add "Suave" package to main group:

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framework: net451
source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

nuget FSharp.Core 4.0.0.1 redirects: force
nuget Suave

group Build
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

    nuget FAKE
    nuget xunit.runner.console

group Tests
    framework: net451
    source https://www.nuget.org/api/v2

    nuget FSharp.Core 4.0.0.1 redirects: force
    nuget xUnit
    nuget FsUnit.xUnit

Add "New Item", "paket.references" to "bowling.web":

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Suave

Run paket install:

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> .paket\paket.exe install

• Open "Program.fs" from "bowling.web",
• Remove boilerplater code, and insert following hello world suave:

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open Suave

startWebServer defaultConfig (Successful.OK "Hello world")

Run it!

Exercise

Implement scoreHandler function so that:

• it responds with 200 OK with score for correct input,
• it responds with 400 BAD REQUEST with "Wrong result" message for wrong input:

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open Suave

let scoreHandler (input: string) : WebPart =
    Successful.OK "Hello world"

startWebServer defaultConfig (Filters.pathScan "/%s" scoreHandler)

Hint: Make use of Successful.OK and RequestErrors.BAD_REQUEST functions. Both are of type string -> WebPart.

Demo: .fs files order in project

(order matters)

At first it looks like a limitation but it really turns out to be one of the most beloved F# features

Summary

• Suave.IO is a very light-weight server library, easy to use with F#
• .fs file order inside project matters

Links

• Suave
• Suave Music Store Gitbook by Tomasz Heimowski
• Suave as a service with Topshelf by Tomas Jansson
• Cyclic dependencies are evil by Scott Wlaschin