withForeignPtr

This is a way to look at the pointer living inside a foreign object. This function takes a function which is applied to that pointer. The resulting IO action is then executed. The foreign object is kept alive at least during the whole action, even if it is not used directly inside. Note that it is not safe to return the pointer from the action and use it after the action completes. All uses of the pointer should be inside the withForeignPtr bracket. The reason for this unsafeness is the same as for unsafeForeignPtrToPtr below: the finalizer may run earlier than expected, because the compiler can only track usage of the ForeignPtr object, not a Ptr object made from it. This function is normally used for marshalling data to or from the object pointed to by the ForeignPtr, using the operations from the Storable class.

Unlifted withForeignPtr.

This is a way to look at the pointer living inside a foreign object. This function takes a function which is applied to that pointer. The resulting IO action is then executed. The foreign object is kept alive at least during the whole action, even if it is not used directly inside. Note that it is not safe to return the pointer from the action and use it after the action completes. All uses of the pointer should be inside the withForeignPtr bracket. The reason for this unsafeness is the same as for unsafeForeignPtrToPtr below: the finalizer may run earlier than expected, because the compiler can only track usage of the ForeignPtr object, not a Ptr object made from it. This function is normally used for marshalling data to or from the object pointed to by the ForeignPtr, using the operations from the Storable class.

This is similar to withForeignPtr but comes with an important caveat: the user must guarantee that the continuation does not diverge (e.g. loop or throw an exception). In exchange for this loss of generality, this function offers the ability of GHC to optimise more aggressively. Specifically, applications of the form: unsafeWithForeignPtr fptr (forever something) See GHC issue #17760 for more information about the unsoundness behavior that this function can result in.