Can't load batteries using FindLib in Ocaml TopLevel

Question

I successfully installed ocaml-batteries-included and findlib.

I can do 'ocamlfind ocamlc -package batteries -c mycode.ml` without problems.

Also, if I do ocamlfind list, I get

$ ocamlfind list
batteries           (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_comprehension (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_comprehension.syntax (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_llist  (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_llist.syntax (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_string (version: 2.0)
batteries.pa_string.syntax (version: 2.0)
batteries.syntax    (version: 2.0)
bigarray            (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
camlp4              (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
...

---

The problem is using batteries in ocaml (toplevel).

I have set up .ocamlinit as told:

#use "topfind";;

Toploop.use_silently
             Format.err_formatter (Filename.concat (Findlib.package_directory
             "batteries") "battop.ml");;

but when I launch ocaml, I get this:

$ ocaml
        OCaml version 4.00.1

Findlib has been successfully loaded. Additional directives:
  #require "package";;      to load a package
  #list;;                   to list the available packages
  #camlp4o;;                to load camlp4 (standard syntax)
  #camlp4r;;                to load camlp4 (revised syntax)
  #predicates "p,q,...";;   to set these predicates
  Topfind.reset();;         to force that packages will be reloaded
  #thread;;                 to enable threads

Exception: Fl_package_base.No_such_package ("batteries", "").

Further, if I do #list in ocaml toplevel, I get

# #list;;
bigarray            (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
camlp4              (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
camlp4.exceptiontracer (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
camlp4.extend       (version: [distributed with Ocaml])
...

I can't see batteries package.

---

What's the problem?

Answer 1

Is there a reason why you're not using OPAM? (https://github.com/OCamlPro/opam)

Install OPAM, switch to your favorite version of the 4.0x compiler (for example opam switch 4.00.1), and run: opam install batteries. I recommend doing opam install utop and using utop instead of the vanilla toplevel. In either case:

Put the following in your ~/.ocamlinit

#use "topfind";;
#require "batteries";;
open Batteries;;

This is all you need to get batteries working.