Julia: Syntax error message on parametric macro

[dalum]

No comment on what I was trying to do, but this error message is confusing, as it suggests you to write exactly what you already wrote, even though it is illegal syntax:

julia> dump(:(@(MyMacro{T}) expr))
ERROR: syntax: invalid macro use "@(MyMacro{T})"

[martinholters]

It is not saying invalid macro, use "@(MyMacro{T})", but that difference is pretty subtle...

[dalum]

Panda: eats, shoots, and leaves ... duh!

At first I wrote it without the parentheses:

julia> dump(:(@MyMacro{T} expr))
ERROR: syntax: invalid macro use "@(MyMacro{T})"

and so I naively thought the error message told me to add parentheses around it. I guess if I'm the only one who gets confused by this, it's alright, but maybe a near-synonym of "use" could be used in this context like invalid macro call or invalid macro name?

[JeffBezanson]

Yes we can change it to invalid macro call.

[KristofferC]

invalid macro, call ... can we have something that does not end with an imperative?

[dalum]

julia> @Jeff{Bezanson}
ERROR: syntax: invalid macro call "@Jeff{Bezanson}"

I agree. Is invalid macro name, invalid macro statement, or invalid macro usage better?

[KristofferC]

invalid macro usage seems good to me. I'm also happy with deferring to calling Jeff but then his phone number should be in there too.

[JeffBezanson]

+1 for macro usage, -1 for including my phone number :)