Chapter: `let` bindings and scopes

[rauschma]

[theJian]

How to redefine variables in the outer scope. For example:

let n = 1;
let inc = () => { let n = n + 1; print_int(n) };

The inc function is trying to increase the variable n when invoked, but what it actually does is define a new variable n in the nested scope I think. Is it possible to redefine variables in the outer scope?

[salamynder]

@theJian : To modify n you need

1. to make "n" a "ref cell" and
2. remove in the body of inc-function the additional let-binding (which is shadowing the "n" of the toplevel).

In standard OCaml-Syntax:

# let n = ref 0;;
val n : int ref = {contents = 0}
# let inc () = n := !n+1; print_int !n;;
val inc : unit -> unit = <fun>
# inc ();;
- : unit = <unknown constructor>
# !n;;
- : int = 1

https://realworldocaml.org/v1/en/html/imperative-programming-1.html#ref-cells