Two classes ago, our professor presented to us a Parser module. Here is the code: module Parser (Parser,parser,runParser,satisfy,char,string,many,many1,(+++)) where import Data.Char import Control.Monad import Control.Monad.State type Parser = StateT String [] runParser :: Parser a -> String -> [(a,String)] runParser = runStateT parser :: (String -> [(a,String)]) -> Parser a parser = StateT satisfy :: (Char -> Bool) -> Parser Char satisfy f = parser $ \s -> case s of [] -> [] a:as -> [(a,as) | f a] char :: Char -> Parser Char char = satisfy . (==) alpha,digit :: Parser Char alpha = satisfy isAlpha digit = satisfy isDigit string :: String -> Parser String string = mapM char infixr 5 +++ (+++) :: Parser a -> Parser a -> Parser a (+++) = mplus many, many1 :: Parser a -> Parser [a] many p = return [] +++ many1 p many1 p = liftM2 (:) p (many p) Today he gave us an assignment to introduce "a left-biased, or short-circuiting version of (+++)", called (<++). His hint was for us to consider the original implementation of (+++). When he first introduced +++ to us, this was the code he wrote, which I am going to call the original implementation: infixr 5 +++ (+++) :: Parser a -> Parser a -> Parser a p +++ q = Parser $ \s -> runParser p s ++ runParser q s I have been having tons of trouble since we were introduced to parsing and so it continues. I have tried/am considering two approaches. 1) Use the "original" implementation, as in p +++ q = Parser $ \s - runParser p s ++ runParser q s 2) Use the final implementation, as in (+++) = mplus Here are my questions: 1) The module will not compile if I use the original implementation. The error: Not in scope: data constructor 'Parser'. It compiles fine using (+++) = mplus. What is wrong with using the original implementation that is avoided by using the final implementation? 2) How do I check if the first Parser returns anything? Is something like (not (isNothing (Parser $ \s - runParser p s) on the right track? It seems like it should be easy but I have no idea. 3) Once I figure out how to check if the first Parser returns anything, if I am to base my code on the final implementation, would it be as easy as this?: -- if p returns something then p <++ q = mplus (Parser $ \s -> runParser p s) mzero -- else (<++) = mplus Best, Jeff