Llaisdy

When using a named function (i.e., rather than an anonymous function) with lists:map/2, it is necessary to use the form fun module:function/arity. For example, the module [1] will raise the error [2]:

[1]

-module(maptest). 
-export([test/0]). 
-export([double/1]). 

double(N) -> 
    2 * N. 

test() -> 
    List = [1,2,3,4,5], 
    lists:map(double, List).

[2]

1> c(maptest). 
{ok,maptest} 
2> maptest:test(). 
** exception error: bad function double 
     in function  lists:map/2

Module [3] works:

[3]

-module(maptest). 
-export([test/0]). 
%%  -export([double/1]).  %% not necessary 

double(N) -> 
    2 * N. 

test() -> 
    List = [1,2,3,4,5], 
    lists:map(fun double/1, List). 

[4]

1> c(maptest).
{ok,maptest}
2> maptest:test().
[2,4,6,8,10]

So the first argument of map — whether the function is named or anonymous — always starts with the keyword fun:

[5]

lists:map(fun(X) -> 2 * X end, List).

As an aside, it is not necessary to export the function in order to make it accessible to map (cf. [3]).

This is a summary of recent discussion on the erlang-programming-book Google group.