Plan for F# bug and testing

[dsyme]

I've been asked to fix some issues related to F# in this repo, especially #180. This is a planning note regarding this work.

TODO:

• Add one F# compiled-project "smoke test" under tests\FSharpProjects\SmokeTest based around those done by @isaacabraham, see https://github.com/isaacabraham/ml-test-experiment.

  • This test will run under CI on both Windows and Linux and only require .NET Core

• Add one F# scripting "smoke test" under tests\FSharpScripting\SmokeTest based around those done by @isaacabraham, see https://github.com/isaacabraham/ml-test-experiment.

  • This test will run under CI on Windows. It will currently require .NET Framework or Mono.

When futher API updates and re-designs are made it is up to the person doing the re-design to adjust these tests :) Ask for help if you need it, but the F# code will be simple and I'm sure all contributors are capable of adjusting trivial F# code, F# is dead simple to learn.

Then, when this bug is fixed, a test will be added to both tests\FSharpScripting\SmokeTest and tests\FSharpProjects\SmokeTest.

Separately I will propose updates for documentation for F#, and we can later look at more comprehensive documentation, samples and testing.

[dsyme]

Please Label with "F#", thanks

[dsyme]

@eerhardt @asthana86 ok with this plan?

[asthana86]

LGTM

Adding @TomFinley and @shauheen

[eerhardt]

Thanks, @dsyme. A few questions:

1. For my knowledge, why the dependency on .NET Framework for F# scripting? Does this not work on .NET Core?
2. You said the plan was to add the 2 test projects. And then later, "when this bug is fixed, a test will be added to both projects." What will the test projects contain before that bug is fixed?

[cartermp]

@eerhardt We are beginning work for F# Interactive (FSI) to properly support .NET Core right now. It basically works today, as the fundamentals of FSI - pass F# code, compile, and evaluate it - has no issues with .NET Core. However, there are issues with how references are brought in, and it lacks the ability to specify a package, which is necessary for a decent scripting experience.

[dsyme]

You said the plan was to add the 2 test projects. And then later, "when this bug is fixed, a test will be added to both projects." What will the test projects contain before that bug is fixed?

The bug is with F# records - @isaacabraham has tests that avoid using this feature, so initially the tests will contain those

[dsyme]

I've submitted #600 and #616 (the latter WIP) so I will close this for now.

I decided not to submit a test for running ML.NET and F# Interactive until F# scripting for .NET Core is available, since this whole technology is very much oriented towards .NET Core. However the test in #600 can be run manually with .NET Framework F# Scripting.