Discussing the release of a loc package

[mbarbin]

I am using a type to represent a range of lexing positions from a file, which I called Loc.t. It's here.

I use it as dependency to decorate AST nodes built by parsers, enabling located error messages during file processing (compilers, interpreters, linters, refactor tools, etc.).

I am considering submitting it to the opam-repository, but I have some reservations.

• Firstly I am unsure how to package it for publication. Would there be push-back about grabbing the global "loc" name on opam?
• Secondly, this is very similar to Dune's Stdune.Loc module (and actually uses stdune under the hood). Perhaps it would make more sense to work on extracting the Dune one as a foundational package (such as pp, dyn, and ordering), rather than maintaining this one separately.

My motivation is that I have other libraries that I'd like to eventually publish to opam that depend on it. Some examples below:

• file-rewriter
• cmdlang's Err module

Similar libraries or modules:

• Dune's Loc.t

• Parsexp's ranges

• Ppxlib's Location.t

• Compilerlibs's loc

I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback on this matter. Thank you!

[mbarbin]

I've asked the question about Dune to the Dune devs here ocaml/dune#10948

[avsm]

Thanks for all your work in establishing consensus here, @mbarbin. From the opam-repo perspective, we have no objection...

[mbarbin]

Thank you. With this feedback, I feel comfortable opening #26625 for review.

I will be closing this issue then, the Dune discussion part can stay open as needed.

Thanks a lot!