error when trying to assign a function name to a constant variable is confusing

[dhoegh]

When you get the error

julia>const ff = 1
julia>ff()=1
invalid method definition: not a generic function

When I saw this in a large code block I was very puzzled about what julia tried to tell my. While when the variable name is not a constant then the error seems much more understandable:

julia>f = 1
julia>f()=1
cannot define function f; it already has a value

Where it is clear what julia means.

[nalimilan]

Indeed. Though I'd rather say cannot define function f: an object with this name already exists.

[JeffBezanson]

This is in jl_method_def in toplevel.c. It's easy to add the variable name to this error message.

[dhoegh]

My main concern where the wording of the error. not a generic function do not say anything about what the user done wrong while it already has a value does.

[dhoegh]

Thank you. @JuliaBackports

[tkelman]

backported in 5b25589