# Tips for updating code for 0.7

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Created:** [March 1, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427 "2018-03-01T21:10:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ExpandingMan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/expandingman/32/866_2.png) [@ExpandingMan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ExpandingMan)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/1 "2018-03-01T21:10:42Z")

</div>

I’ve recently been updating a lot of code to 0.7 and have found the process significantly more painful than the 0.5 to 0.6 transition. Of course, it is always much more difficult to get coding working on 2 different versions than it is to get it working on just the latest version, so, considering that there are no breaking changes after 0.7 until 2.0, I expect many packages to abandon 0.6 altogether as soon as that is feasible.

Here are a few things that you can anticipate dealing with:

- `uninitialized`. Fortunately fixing this is mostly pretty trivial, but array constructors are a very core part of the language so it’ll feel like a substantial change. Probably the biggest effect this will have is that other `AbstractArray` types from packages for the most part won’t immediately use `uninitialized`, so you may wind up having arrays with unexpectedly inconsistent interfaces. This problem won’t go away in every case: sometimes the `uninitialized` constructors might just not make sense for an `AbstractArray` object so that their constructors will permanently diverge from `Array`, but I suppose that was the whole purpose of adding `Uninitialized` to the language.
- stdlib moving to packages. You will need lots of `using Compat.Random`, `using Compat.LinearAlgebra`. This is all trivial stuff, but be aware `Compat` currently seems to be lagging a bit.
- There are seemingly hundreds of tiny interface changes. Things like `copyto!` and `axes` as well as lots of more minor things like regex.
- Default `show` behavior for lots of things seems to have changed. This becomes a problem if you are testing output strings (you should probably avoid these types of tests anyway, but sometimes you have no choice e.g. if you are testing the `show` behavior itself). You should get used to doing things like, e.g. `"$DataFrame"` instead of `"DataFrames.DataFrame"`.
- Writing good `Compat` code is hard. There are lots of "gotcha"s, and for this reason I’m guilty of not contributing to `Compat` when I really should have. I’ve even uncovered several bugs in `Compat` (now fixed) during my update processes.
- This process will teach you the virtue of taking warnings seriously. If you already have tests with lots of unnecessary warnings, things are going to get much more difficult to parse when you try running them on 0.7. Unless your package is very small, I recommend getting 0.6 flawless before working on 0.7 updates.

Good luck everyone!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PetrKryslUCSD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/petrkryslucsd/32/215825_2.png) [@PetrKryslUCSD](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PetrKryslUCSD)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/2 "2018-03-02T02:04:09Z")

</div>

> [@ExpandingMan](#):
>
> until 2.0, I expect many packages to abandon 0.6 altogether as soon as that is feasible.

I fervently hope that is going to be the case. The worst outcome would be to have many packages stuck at fixing up 0.6 long after 0.7 comes out because “users need 0.6”. We know how that went down in the Python world…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tamas\_Papp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/tamas_papp/32/25949_2.png) [@Tamas\_Papp](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Tamas_Papp)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/3 "2018-03-02T12:35:26Z")

</div>

> [@ExpandingMan](#):
>
> There are seemingly hundreds of tiny interface changes.

This is responsible for 90% of the work related to updating to `v0.7` for me. I wish there was a tool that would highlight or somehow mark lines which need review. Eg when encountering [`readuntil`](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/master/NEWS.md#breaking-changes) in a line, insert a line before like this:

```julia
## REVIEW: readuntil no longer includes delimiter in result
## use keep=true if you need it

```

an similarly for the other changes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PetrKryslUCSD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/petrkryslucsd/32/215825_2.png) [@PetrKryslUCSD](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PetrKryslUCSD)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 1:59am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/4 "2018-03-07T01:59:59Z")

</div>

The printouts of the deprecations and such for 0.7 are generally helpful in that they suggest how to fix a particular problem. I just wish there weren’t so copious. Sometimes it is hard to find the information one can use in all the text that gets printed out…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisRackauckas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chrisrackauckas/32/77_2.png) [@ChrisRackauckas](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ChrisRackauckas)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/5 "2018-03-07T02:11:11Z")

</div>

> Tips for updating code for 0.7

Wait for Femtocleaner to get a bunch of upgrades and open issues for @keno to solve for you.

I’m partially kidding.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisRackauckas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chrisrackauckas/32/77_2.png) [@ChrisRackauckas](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ChrisRackauckas)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/6 "2018-03-07T02:12:04Z")

</div>

> [@Tamas\_Papp](#):
>
> I wish there was a tool that would highlight or somehow mark lines which need review.

> **[GitHub - JuliaComputing/FemtoCleaner.jl: The code behind femtocleaner](https://github.com/JuliaComputing/FemtoCleaner.jl)**
>
> The code behind femtocleaner. Contribute to JuliaComputing/FemtoCleaner.jl development by creating an account on GitHub.

We just need enough cases to be caught.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bernhard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/bernhard/32/2619_2.png) [@bernhard](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bernhard)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/7 "2018-03-13T13:55:15Z")

</div>

Julia is complaining about “JULIA\_HOME”

Do I need the windows environment variable to be defined or is it a global string?

See below for the error I get.

Should I open an issue on WinRPM?  
I am actually not sure if what I am seeing is related to WinRPM…

```julia
C:\Julia-0.7.X\bin>julia.exe
               _
   _ _ _(_)_ | A fresh approach to technical computing
  (_) | (_) (_) | Documentation: https://docs.julialang.org
   _ _ _| |_ __ _ | Type "?help" for help.
  | | | | | | |/ _` | |
  | | |_| | | | (_| | | Version 0.7.0-DEV.4474 (2018-03-06 17:45 UTC)
 _/ |\ __'_|_|_|\__'_| | Commit e542b28ac2* (6 days old master)
|__/ | x86_64-w64-mingw32

julia> ENV["JULIA_HOME"]
"C:\\Julia-0.7.X\\bin\\"

julia> JULIA_HOME=ENV["JULIA_HOME"]
"C:\\Julia-0.7.X\\bin\\"

julia> versioninfo()
Julia Version 0.7.0-DEV.4474
Commit e542b28ac2* (2018-03-06 17:45 UTC)
Platform Info:
  OS: Windows (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
  CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz
  WORD_SIZE: 64
  LIBM: libopenlibm
  LLVM: libLLVM-3.9.1 (ORCJIT, skylake)
Environment:
  JULIA_BINDIR = C:\JULIA-0.7.x\BIN
  JULIA_HOME = C:\Julia-0.7.X\bin\

julia> Pkg.buildWARNING: Base.Pkg is deprecated, run `using Pkg` instead
 in module Main
julia> Pkg.build("WinRPM")
WARNING: Base.Pkg is deprecated, run `using Pkg` instead
 in module Main
[ Info: Building WinRPM
WARNING: importing deprecated binding Base.Void into WinRPM.
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:55
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:55
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:128
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:128
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:128
in consume_function at C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\LibExpat\src\xpath.jl
┌ Warning: `assert` is deprecated, use `@assert` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse(::String, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:216
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:216
┌ Warning: `nb_available` is deprecated, use `bytesavailable` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse_expr(::String, ::Int64, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:473
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:473
┌ Warning: `nb_available` is deprecated, use `bytesavailable` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse_expr(::String, ::Int64, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:463
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:463
┌ Warning: `nb_available` is deprecated, use `bytesavailable` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse_expr(::String, ::Int64, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:428
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:428
┌ Warning: `isalnum(c::Char)` is deprecated, use `isalpha(c) || isnumeric(c)` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse_expr(::String, ::Int64, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:438
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:438
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:330
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:330
WARNING: Base.Void is deprecated, use Nothing instead.
  likely near C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:330
in consume_function at C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\LibExpat\src\xpath.jl
┌ Warning: `assert` is deprecated, use `@assert` instead.
│ caller = xpath_parse(::String, ::Int64, ::Bool) at xpath.jl:216
└ @ LibExpat xpath.jl:216
┌ Warning: Loop variable `installed` around C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:424 overwrites a variable in an enclosing scope. In the future the variable will be local to the loop instead.
└ @ nothing WinRPM.jl:424
ERROR: LoadError: UndefVarError: JULIA_HOME not defined
Stacktrace:
 [1] top-level scope
 [2] include(::Module, ::String) at .\boot.jl:305
 [3] include_relative(::Module, ::String) at .\loading.jl:1072
 [4] include(::Module, ::String) at .\sysimg.jl:29
 [5] top-level scope
 [6] eval at .\boot.jl:308 [inlined]
 [7] top-level scope at .\<missing>:3
in expression starting at C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\src\WinRPM.jl:449
┌ Error: ------------------------------------------------------------
│ # Build failed for WinRPM
│ exception =
│ LoadError: Failed to precompile WinRPM to C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\compiled\v0.7\WinRPM.ji.
│ Stacktrace:
│ [1] error at .\error.jl:33 [inlined]
│ [2] compilecache(::Base.PkgId) at .\loading.jl:1206
│ [3] _require(::Base.PkgId) at .\loading.jl:1008
│ [4] require(::Base.PkgId) at .\loading.jl:879
│ [5] require(::Module, ::Symbol) at .\loading.jl:874
│ [6] include(::Module, ::String) at .\boot.jl:305
│ [7] include_relative(::Module, ::String) at .\loading.jl:1072
│ [8] include at .\sysimg.jl:29 [inlined]
│ [9] include(::String) at .\loading.jl:1106
│ [10] top-level scope
│ [11] eval at .\boot.jl:308 [inlined]
│ [12] eval at .\sysimg.jl:74 [inlined]
│ [13] evalfile(::String, ::Array{String,1}) at .\loading.jl:1101 (repeats 2 times)
│ [14] #6 at .\none:13 [inlined]
│ [15] cd(::getfield(, Symbol("##6#8")){String}, ::String) at .\file.jl:61
│ [16] (::getfield(, Symbol("##5#7")))(::IOStream) at .\none:12
│ [17] #open#318(::Base.Iterators.Pairs{Union{},Union{},Tuple{},NamedTuple{(),Tuple{}}}, ::Function, ::getfield(, Symbol("##5#7")), ::String, ::Vararg{String,N} where N) at .\iostream.jl:369
│ [18] open(::Function, ::String, ::String) at .\iostream.jl:367
│ [19] top-level scope
│ [20] eval at .\boot.jl:308 [inlined]
│ [21] eval(::Module, ::Expr) at .\sysimg.jl:74
│ [22] exec_options(::Base.JLOptions) at .\client.jl:304
│ [23] _start() at .\client.jl:455
│ in expression starting at C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7\WinRPM\deps\build.jl:1
└ @ Main none:16
┌ Warning: ------------------------------------------------------------
│ # Build error summary
│
│ WinRPM had build errors.
│
│ - packages with build errors remain installed in C:\Users\bernhard.konig\.julia\v0.7
│ - build the package(s) and all dependencies with `Pkg.build("WinRPM")`
│ - build a single package by running its `deps/build.jl` script
└ @ Pkg.Entry entry.jl:649

julia> 

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ExpandingMan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/expandingman/32/866_2.png) [@ExpandingMan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ExpandingMan)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/8 "2018-03-13T14:39:13Z")

</div>

Yes, you should define `JULIA_BINDIR` (the directory containing the binary).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bernhard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/bernhard/32/2619_2.png) [@bernhard](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bernhard)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/9 "2018-03-13T15:05:52Z")

</div>

I have done that. At least julia tells me so. Please see my screenshot…

 ![julia_error](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/5/3/53afded49a9ab04c89334e0ce87e6f9f247c15fb.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ExpandingMan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/expandingman/32/866_2.png) [@ExpandingMan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ExpandingMan)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/10 "2018-03-13T15:09:12Z")

</div>

Hm, not sure, I don’t use Windows so I’m unfamiliar with what’s going on here.

My guess would be that the WinRPM package uses the deprecated environment variables `JULIA_HOME`. The simplest way of resolving this would probably be to define `JULIA_HOME` in addition to `JULIA_BINDIR`. It’s probably also worth filing an issue with WinRPM if there isn’t one, though I suspect they are well-aware they will have to change a bunch of things for 0.7. I’d imagine a PR would be appreciated but I don’t know how much has to be done there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bernhard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/bernhard/32/2619_2.png) [@bernhard](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bernhard)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/11 "2018-03-13T15:13:12Z")

</div>

> [@ExpandingMan](#):
>
> ving this would probably be to define JULIA\_HOME in addition to JULIA\_BINDIR. It’s probably also worth filing an issue with WinRPM if there isn’t one, though I suspect they are well-aware they will have to change a bunch of things for 0.

I have actually defined JULIA\_HOME (see first lines of the screenshot), but I still get the error.  
I just noted that there is already an issue on this. I suppose I should have checked there first ([Pkg.build failing on 0.7 and Windows 7 · Issue #135 · JuliaPackaging/WinRPM.jl · GitHub](https://github.com/JuliaPackaging/WinRPM.jl/issues/135))  
Thanks for the support.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bernhard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/bernhard/32/2619_2.png) [@bernhard](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bernhard)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/12 "2018-03-13T15:23:30Z")

</div>

Thinking about this some more I have two more questions:

1. what is the easiest way to have julia 0.6 and 0.7 both installed under windows?  
is there anything I need to change when switching between the two besides JULIA\_HOME?

2. is it an issue if the 0.6 executable is in my path? I.e. are any of the Pkg.update/build commands invoking julia itself and therefore may revert to julia 0.6 even though it should be 0.7?

Maybe the answer to question 2 resolves my issues (although it is cumbersome to change many environment variables forth and back).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rdeits](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/rdeits/32/286_2.png) [@rdeits](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rdeits)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/13 "2018-03-13T15:29:52Z")

</div>

I don’t even think you need to set JULIA\_HOME at all, as Julia will automatically use the path of its own binary as appropriate. See: [Julia 0.6 and 0.7 living together in harmony in one environment - #5 by rdeits](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-0-6-and-0-7-living-together-in-harmony-in-one-environment/9343/5)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tbeason](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/tbeason/32/15898_2.png) [@tbeason](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tbeason)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/14 "2018-03-13T16:39:27Z")

</div>

You just need to do `Pkg.checkout("WinRPM")` to fix those issues.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bjarthur](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/bjarthur/32/9638_2.png) [@bjarthur](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/bjarthur)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/15 "2018-03-30T15:13:36Z")

</div>

sadly there are multiple issues reporting the FemtoCleaner is not currently working

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisRackauckas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chrisrackauckas/32/77_2.png) [@ChrisRackauckas](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ChrisRackauckas)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/16 "2018-03-30T15:19:39Z")

</div>

> [@bjarthur](#):
>
> sadly there are multiple issues reporting the FemtoCleaner is not currently working

It’s far too early to matter though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kristoffer.carlsson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kristoffer.carlsson/32/22_2.png) [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/tips-for-updating-code-for-0-7/9427/17 "2018-03-30T18:13:23Z")

</div>

FWIW, It is very easy to run Femtocleaner.jl locally as described in the Readme.