Improve error message when we try to unify two wildcards

Closes #1931

compiler/types/src/pretty_print.rs

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use roc_collections::all::{MutMap, MutSet};
 use roc_module::ident::{Lowercase, TagName};
 use roc_module::symbol::{Interns, ModuleId, Symbol};
 
-static WILDCARD: &str = "*";
+pub static WILDCARD: &str = "*";
 static EMPTY_RECORD: &str = "{}";
 static EMPTY_TAG_UNION: &str = "[]";
 

reporting/src/error/type.rs

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use roc_module::ident::{Ident, IdentStr, Lowercase, TagName};
 use roc_module::symbol::Symbol;
 use roc_region::all::{Located, Region};
 use roc_solve::solve;
-use roc_types::pretty_print::Parens;
+use roc_types::pretty_print::{Parens, WILDCARD};
 use roc_types::types::{Category, ErrorType, PatternCategory, Reason, RecordField, TypeExt};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
@@ -355,18 +355,44 @@ fn to_expr_report<'b>(
                 TypedBody { .. } => "The body is".into(),
             };
 
-            let comparison = type_comparison(
+            let i_am_seeing = add_category(alloc, alloc.text(it_is), &category);
+
+            // TODO: can comparisons between wildcards happen outside the context of an annotation?
+            let comparison = if is_wildcards_comparison(&found, &expected_type) {
+                alloc.stack(vec![
+                    i_am_seeing,
+                    alloc.type_block(to_doc(alloc, Parens::Unnecessary, found)),
+                    alloc.concat(vec![
+                        alloc.reflow("But the type annotation on "),
+                        on_name_text,
+                        alloc.reflow(" says it should be a "),
+                        alloc.type_str(WILDCARD),
+                        alloc.reflow(" too! This tells me that the type is connected in a way that doesn't require a wildcard."),
+                    ]),
+                    alloc.concat(vec![
+                        alloc.reflow("Since the type has to be the same in both places, the type can be more specific than "),
+                        alloc.type_str(WILDCARD),
+                        alloc.reflow(". You can change the "),
+                        alloc.type_str(WILDCARD),
+                        alloc.reflow(" to a named type variable like "),
+                        alloc.type_variable("a".into()),
+                        alloc.reflow(" to reflect the connection.")
+                    ]),
+                ])
+            } else {
+                type_comparison(
                     alloc,
                     found,
                     expected_type,
-                add_category(alloc, alloc.text(it_is), &category),
+                    i_am_seeing,
                     alloc.concat(vec![
                         alloc.text("But the type annotation"),
                         on_name_text,
                         alloc.text(" says it should be:"),
                     ]),
                     None,
-            );
+                )
+            };
 
             Report {
                 title: "TYPE MISMATCH".to_string(),
@@ -891,6 +917,14 @@ fn to_expr_report<'b>(
     }
 }
 
+fn is_wildcards_comparison(type1: &ErrorType, type2: &ErrorType) -> bool {
+    use ErrorType::*;
+    match (type1, type2) {
+        (RigidVar(v1), RigidVar(v2)) if v1.as_str() == WILDCARD && v2.as_str() == WILDCARD => true,
+        _ => false,
+    }
+}
+
 fn count_arguments(tipe: &ErrorType) -> usize {
     use ErrorType::*;
 

reporting/tests/test_reporting.rs

@@ -6761,8 +6761,44 @@ I need all branches in an `if` to have the same type!
 
                 Tip: Your type annotation uses `a` and `b` as separate type variables.
                 Your code seems to be saying they are the same though. Maybe they
-                should be the same your type annotation? Maybe your code uses them in
-                a weird way?
+                should be the same in your type annotation? Maybe your code uses them
+                in a weird way?
+                "#
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn error_wildcards_are_related() {
+        report_problem_as(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                f : * -> *
+                f = \x -> x
+
+                f
+                "#
+            ),
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                ── TYPE MISMATCH ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+                Something is off with the body of the `f` definition:
+
+                1│  f : * -> *
+                2│  f = \x -> x
+                              ^
+
+                This `x` value is a:
+
+                    *
+
+                But the type annotation on  on `f` says it should be a * too! This tells
+                me that the type is connected in a way that doesn't require a
+                wildcard.
+
+                Since the type has to be the same in both places, the type can be more
+                specific than *. You can change the * to a named type variable like `a`
+                to reflect the connection.
                 "#
             ),
         )