Try to use the FSI as a dll instead of calling fsi.exe

[forki]

A FSI.dll is needed.
Good thing is: @fahadsuhaib built one.

Let's try this out.

[funnelweb]

The F# 3.0 open source compiler comes with what looks like a simple API for interactive compilation and execution. See https://github.com/fsharp/fsharp/blob/master/src/fsharp/vs/SimpleServices.fs

This is part of FSharp.Compiler.dll when open source F# 3.0 is installed. I asked @dsyme and he said this it is the one they use for Try F#. See Microsoft.FSharp.Compiler.Interactive.Runner.InteractiveConsole.

This API is not in the Microsoft FSharp.Compiler.dll so you'd need a private copy of the compiler dll?

[forki]

uih. this would help a lot.

[7sharp9]

I would recommend adding or consuming the modified compiler

There a few options:

• Use a dynamic assembly with symbols - see my edge-fs work
• Invoke fsi programatically - see my script-fs work

The ScriptCs stuff uses a modified compiler available from nuget, its slightly different in that it has evaluation options that are deterministic, as soon as you call for an eval you can retrieve the result from the output stream. This is something that I worked on with Dons help. I believe Tomas also has something almost identical.

To be honest I don't think the eval option is needed as you want to tun the whole fsx file through the compiler anyway.

[forki]

Here are some of my goals:

• Run the build script directly in the FAKE.exe process
• Allow to set breakpoints in the build.fsx in VS or XS
• Bundle FAKE directly with a compiler (no path detection of fsi) - this is important for FAKE.Deploy since we want to use the same compiler on client and server side. If we had different versions this could be confusing as @colinbull pointed out.

[7sharp9]

Do you have a sample in mind to try this out on?

I could take a look when I get a chance.

[forki]

Mhm. would be cool if it would work with http://fsharp.github.io/FAKE/gettingstarted.html

[forki]

Documentation: http://fsharp.github.io/FSharp.Compiler.Service/interactive.html

@tpetricek @dsyme: Do you think this is a good idea?

[panesofglass]

@forki Yes, this will be the baseline for future scriptcs-fsharp integration, as well.

[forki]

FAKE 3.0 alpha is out