Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]
| From | Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | comp.lang.c |
| Subject | Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types |
| Date | 2011-04-21 12:09 -0700 |
| Organization | None to speak of |
| Message-ID | <lnvcy72zht.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org> (permalink) |
| References | <alpine.LFD.2.02.1104201414030.21950@bowman> <wsmdnYali-xaxC3QnZ2dnUVZ_o2dnZ2d@posted.internetamerica> <alpine.LFD.2.02.1104211916360.25760@bowman> |
Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> writes:
> On Thu, 21 Apr 2011, Gordon Burditt wrote:
>>> In K&R there is an exercise to compute the range of possible values for each C
>>> type. In doing this I have written two functions that are identical, except for
>>> the fact that one uses signed long ints, and the other uses unsigned long ints.
>>> I have found that the function that uses the unsigned ints completes in a few seconds,
>>> while the signed version takes so long that I have never had the patience to
>>> wait for it to end. The only operators I am using on the variables are increment
>>> and decrement.
>>
>>
>> I believe what you are seeing is a program bug, not a performance difference.
>
> Well it turned out that you are correct. I have discussed this in previous
> posts, but, briefly, I had a bug that caused the function to give me the
> result I was looking for, but using a method I was not expecting.
>
> The reason was that I was initiating a loop by assinging -1 to an unsigned type.
> This meant that the variable immediately had the max value, and the loop exited
> without looping through all the possible values of the unsigned type (which is
> what I thought it was doing).
>
> From my perspective this meant that the program was looping through a large
> number of values extremely quickly in comparison with the signed version of the
> function, which was extremely slow (it actually *was* looping through all the
> values).
>
> I have posted the full version of the program I ended up with in a previous
> message if you are interested.
>
> Thanks for the information - it was very interesting.
This program makes some non-portable assumptions, but it should work as
expected on any system you're likely to encounter.
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void)
{
const unsigned char uchar_max = -1;
const signed char schar_max = uchar_max / 2u;
const unsigned short ushrt_max = -1;
const signed short shrt_max = ushrt_max / 2u;
const unsigned int uint_max = -1;
const signed int int_max = uint_max / 2u;
const unsigned long ulong_max = -1;
const signed long long_max = ulong_max / 2ul;
const unsigned long long ullong_max = -1;
const signed long long llong_max = ullong_max / 2ull;
printf("schar_max = %20d\n", schar_max);
printf("uchar_max = %20u\n", (unsigned)uchar_max);
printf("shrt_max = %20d\n", shrt_max);
printf("ushrt_max = %20u\n", (unsigned)ushrt_max);
printf("int_max = %20d\n", int_max);
printf("uint_max = %20u\n", uint_max);
printf("long_max = %20ld\n", long_max);
printf("ulong_max = %20lu\n", ulong_max);
printf("llong_max = %20lld\n", llong_max);
printf("ullong_max = %20llu\n", ullong_max);
return 0;
}
It's reliable for the unsigned types; -1 converted to any unsigned type
always yields the maximum value of that type.
For the signed types, it simply assumes that the maximum value is half
the maximum value of the corresponding signed type (with truncating
division); for example, if USHRT_MAX is 65535, it assumes SHRT_MAX is
32767. This is likely to be true even on systems that don't use
2's-complement. It will break down only if corresponding signed and
unsigned types have different numbers of padding bits. (Most or all
modern systems have no padding bits.)
Computing the minimum value for signed types is less straightforward.
It's likely to be either -FOO_MAX-1 (2's-complement) or -FOO_MAX
(1s'-complement or sign-and-magnitude), and you can (99%-reliably)
determine which representation is used by type-punning (e.g., set
the signed member of a union to -1 and see what value the unsigned
value takes on). This will fail if a system uses 2's-complement
but chooses to make the minimum representable value a trap
representation.
Of course it's easier just to use <limits.h>, but perhaps this kind of
technique could be useful for someone *implementing* <limits.h>.
--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Nokia
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"
Back to comp.lang.c | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread
Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 14:21 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-20 09:49 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 15:21 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Peter Nilsson <airia@acay.com.au> - 2011-04-20 15:34 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 17:57 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-21 19:26 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-20 21:45 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 06:20 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 13:54 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 18:50 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 16:16 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 19:27 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 17:24 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 21:00 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 21:33 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-22 08:22 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:25 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 09:21 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:22 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 17:58 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 17:33 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-23 09:01 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-23 14:07 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-23 18:14 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:42 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-25 22:34 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.nw63u@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-26 10:59 -0500
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-22 07:55 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-04-22 17:03 +0200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 08:42 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:15 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 15:23 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 17:37 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-23 02:46 +0000
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-23 14:04 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-04-23 14:28 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:43 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-23 23:38 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:46 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-25 22:43 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-24 11:34 +0000
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:47 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-25 12:32 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:25 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 07:45 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-04-24 23:50 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-25 02:13 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-25 21:36 +1200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:48 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-04-25 16:32 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-25 15:22 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:32 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-04-26 09:42 +0200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-26 12:04 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 08:15 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 08:35 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 08:52 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 09:15 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 10:22 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.s68qo@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-26 19:59 -0500
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-27 14:15 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-04-28 12:15 +0200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-28 03:26 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-28 12:09 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-28 08:03 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-28 16:44 +0000
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Gordon Burditt <gordon@hammy.burditt.org> - 2011-04-29 05:42 -0500
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:27 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-26 15:30 +1200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-26 00:14 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-26 20:23 +1200
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 04:17 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-04-22 06:46 +0000
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 09:37 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:49 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 09:09 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-22 09:46 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-22 20:21 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "Scott Fluhrer" <sfluhrer@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-04-20 10:06 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 15:28 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-20 16:11 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-20 08:14 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 16:24 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 17:09 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 17:19 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-20 12:09 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 21:39 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-20 15:01 -0700
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 11:16 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "Scott Fluhrer" <sfluhrer@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-04-20 13:06 -0400
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 18:16 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.bfd7y@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-21 11:22 -0500
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 19:27 +0100
Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-21 12:09 -0700
csiph-web