# Basics module does not expose toString

**URL:** <https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927>\
**Category:** Learn\
**Created:** [September 9, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927 "2018-09-09T23:53:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AllanHasegawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllanHasegawa](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/u/AllanHasegawa)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927/1 "2018-09-09T23:53:59Z")

</div>

Hey o/

While trying to learn Elm, I got stuck trying to convert a Int to a String. Here’s my attempt:

```
parseMyInt : Int -> String
parseMyInt value =
    Basics.toString value

```

And I get this as result:

```auto
I cannot find a `Basics.toString` variable:121| Basics.toString value ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^The `Basics` module does not expose a `toString` variable.

```

I noticed that my `elm.json` file has only versions `1.0.0` for the `elm/core` package. However, when I try to update it by hand, elm tells me its incompatible and I should update with `elm install elm/core`. However, this command does nothing.

`elm-reactor`has no options to update my packages either.

My `elm.json` file:

```auto
{
    "type": "application",
    "source-directories": [
        "src"
    ],
    "elm-version": "0.19.0",
    "dependencies": {
        "direct": {
            "NoRedInk/elm-json-decode-pipeline": "1.0.0",
            "elm/browser": "1.0.0",
            "elm/core": "1.0.0",
            "elm/html": "1.0.0",
            "elm/http": "1.0.0",
            "elm/json": "1.0.0",
            "elm/url": "1.0.0",
            "fredcy/elm-parseint": "2.0.1"
        },
        "indirect": {
            "elm/time": "1.0.0",
            "elm/virtual-dom": "1.0.0"
        }
    },
    "test-dependencies": {
        "direct": {
            "elm-explorations/test": "1.0.0"
        },
        "indirect": {
            "elm/random": "1.0.0"
        }
    }
}

```

What am I missing? Is there a command to update my packages, specially the `elm/core`? (I think this is the one with `Basics.toString`, right?)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dillonkearns](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.elm-lang.org/dillonkearns/32/1587_2.png) [@dillonkearns](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/u/dillonkearns)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927/2 "2018-09-10T00:35:12Z")

</div>

That’s changed in 0.19, I think this document should explain everything you need: [https://github.com/elm/compiler/blob/master/upgrade-docs/0.19.md](https://github.com/elm/compiler/blob/master/upgrade-docs/0.19.md)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AllanHasegawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllanHasegawa](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/u/AllanHasegawa)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927/3 "2018-09-10T00:50:08Z")

</div>

Thank you!

`String.fromInt` solves my problem.

I guess there’ll lots of outdated tutorials online at this point. But this doc will help a lot 👍

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/elm_lang/original/1X/50a05e53677a2c3b47776d7abd0f113eb50193a1.png) [@system](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://discourse.elm-lang.org/t/basics-module-does-not-expose-tostring/1927/4 "2018-09-20T01:02:41Z")

</div>

Closed on September 20, 2018, 1:02am UTC

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