Multiple type parameters in type class

Question

I want to use type class to design convert interface and codes are as below:

case class Kilograms(value: Double)

case class Pounds(value: Double)

trait Convert[T, U] {
  def convert(input: T): U
}

object Convert {
  def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]]
  def covert[T, U](input: T)(implicit c: Convert[T, U]): U = c.convert(input)

  implicit object kilogramsToPounds extends Convert[Kilograms, Pounds] {
      override def convert(input: Kilograms): Pounds = Pounds(input.value *   2.20462)
    }

  implicit object poundsToKilograms extends Convert[Pounds, Kilograms] {
      override def convert(input: Pounds): Kilograms = Kilograms(input.value / 2.20462)
    }
}

But compile error:

Error: wrong number of type arguments for A$A95.this.Convert, should be 2
 def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]]

 Error: could not find implicit value for parameter e: A$A95.this.Convert[T,U]
  def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]]

Error: not enough arguments for method implicitly: (implicit e:   A$A95.this.Convert[T,U])A$A95.this.Convert[T,U].
Unspecified value parameter e.
   def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]]

If I change def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]] into def apply[T, U](implicit c: Convert[T, U]): Convert[T, U] = c , no compile error!!!

I would like to know what's going on? Also, I look up some information, context bound is restricted with single type parameter(?) If I want to implement multiple type parameter type class, how should I do?

Answer 1

The context-bound syntax T : U only works for types U that have only one type parameter S (which conforms to T ).

This is valid because you are manually declaring the implicit for Convert[T, U] :

def covert[T, U](input: T)(implicit c: Convert[T, U]): U = c.convert(input)

The following is not valid, because the compiler de-sugars the context bounds to Convert[T] and Convert[U] respectively, which doesn't make sense.

 def apply[T:Convert, U:Convert] = implicitly[Convert[T,U]]

(attempts to de-sugar to)

 def apply[T, U](implicit ev1: Convert[T], ev2: Convert[U]) = ...

See the SLS 7.4 - Context and View Bounds :

A type parameter A of a method or non-trait class may also have one or more context bounds A : T . In this case the type parameter may be instantiated to any type S for which evidence exists at the instantiation point that S satisfies the bound T . Such evidence consists of an implicit value with type T[S] .