Functions defined locally within a macro implementation cannot be used in a quote

[hmf]

Compiler version

Version 3.2.1

Minimized code

I have a set of "standard" functions defined locally within a macro implementation. I cannot seem to be able to place these in a quote. The global version of the methods work correctly. May not be a bug, but is not intuitive. Here is the code (also in scastie):

import scala.quoted.*


inline def recurseIIGlobal(a:Int, n:Int): Int =
  inline if n == 0
  then
    1
  else
    a * recurseIIGlobal(a, n-1)

transparent inline def power0(a: Int, b:Int): Any = ${ power0Impl('a,'b) }

def power0Impl(a: Expr[Int], b: Expr[Int])(using Quotes): Expr[Int] =
  import quotes.reflect.*
  // Functions defined inside implementation cannot be called directly
  inline def recurseII(a:Int, n:Int): Int =
    inline if n == 0
    then
      1
    else
      a * recurseII(a, n-1)

  inline def recurseI(a:Int, n:Int): Int =
    if n == 0
    then
      1
    else
      a * recurseI(a, n-1)

  def recurse(a:Int, n:Int): Int =
    if n == 0
    then
      1
    else
      a * recurse(a, n-1)

	// Ok
  val x = recurseII(1,2)
  '{    
    // Ok
    val x1 = recurseIIGlobal($a, $b)
    val x1a = ${ Expr(recurseIIGlobal(1, 2)) }
    val x2a = ${ Expr[Int](recurseII(1, 2))  }
    // Below all fail
    // recurse($a, $b)
    // recurseI($a, $b)
    val x2 = recurseII($a, $b)
    x2
   }

Output

    access to method recurseII from wrong staging level:
     - the definition is at level 0,
     - but the access is at level 1.

Expectation

I expect the functions defined within the macro implementation to work as any other.

[nicolasstucki]

import quotes.reflect.* is not needed in this example.

[nicolasstucki]

Minimized

import scala.quoted.*

def power0Impl(a: Expr[Int], b: Expr[Int])(using Quotes): Expr[Int] =
  inline def recurseII(a:Int, n:Int): Int = ???

  '{
    val x2 = recurseII($a, $b)
    // error: access to method recurseII from wrong staging level:
    //   - the definition is at level 0,
    //   - but the access is at level 1.
    x2
   }

[nicolasstucki]

recurseII is a local definition and cannot be used in staged code as it will not be available in the next stage where the quote is inlined. Note that inline definitions are not expanded within the quote. They are only inlined when they are at staging level 0 (i.e. during macro expansion).

The error is correct. We could give a hint with an explanation.