% cat x.go
package p
func f() (int, int, int)
func g() {
x, y := f()
var a, b int
a, b = f()
_ = x
_ = y
_ = a
_ = b
}
% go tool compile x.go
x.go:6:10: cannot initialize 2 variables with 3 values
x.go:8:9: cannot assign 3 values to 2 variables
% go1.17 tool compile x.go
x.go:6:7: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but f returns 3 values
x.go:8:7: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but f returns 3 values
%
In the old type checker, we worked to make sure that we always say the number on the left hand side of the assignment before the number on the right hand side. Originally the text was literally “2 = 3”, but that was a bit cryptic. Even so, is helps to avoid reversing the numbers entirely.
We should therefore reword the current x.go:8 message so that 2 appears before 3.
It would also help, I think, to restore the name of the function returning multiple values. That may not be clear on a complex line. The character positioning helps, of course, but it requires a tool to interpret. If you're looking at a list of errors, it helps more to see 'f' mentioned in every error that's about f.
Here's a real-world example that illustrates the usability difference better than the trivial case above:
% go test net/url
# net/url [net/url.test]
net/url/url.go:924:16: cannot assign 3 values to 2 variables
net/url/url.go:932:17: cannot initialize 2 variables with 3 values
net/url/url.go:1005:21: cannot assign 3 values to 2 variables
net/url/url_test.go:2068:16: cannot assign 3 values to 2 variables
FAIL net/url [build failed]
FAIL
% go test -gcflags=-G=0 net/url
# net/url [net/url.test]
net/url/url.go:924:14: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but strings.Cut returns 3 values
net/url/url.go:932:14: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but strings.Cut returns 3 values
net/url/url.go:1005:19: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but strings.Cut returns 3 values
net/url/url_test.go:2068:14: assignment mismatch: 2 variables but strings.Cut returns 3 values
FAIL net/url [build failed]
FAIL
%
/cc @griesemer @findleyr
In the old type checker, we worked to make sure that we always say the number on the left hand side of the assignment before the number on the right hand side. Originally the text was literally “2 = 3”, but that was a bit cryptic. Even so, is helps to avoid reversing the numbers entirely.
We should therefore reword the current x.go:8 message so that 2 appears before 3.
It would also help, I think, to restore the name of the function returning multiple values. That may not be clear on a complex line. The character positioning helps, of course, but it requires a tool to interpret. If you're looking at a list of errors, it helps more to see 'f' mentioned in every error that's about f.
Here's a real-world example that illustrates the usability difference better than the trivial case above:
/cc @griesemer @findleyr