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Groups > comp.lang.c > #106130

Re: C Compilers QoI

From BartC <bc@freeuk.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: C Compilers QoI
Date 2017-03-15 12:49 +0000
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <oabd2p$sm$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References (3 earlier) <4fVxA.62281$Bp6.47291@fx36.iad> <74bd9556-d8eb-4507-8780-11df9311b5d2@googlegroups.com> <ibWxA.69903$k61.43609@fx05.iad> <c117efc1-24a2-40cb-bc44-0c8833dff448@googlegroups.com> <oaa93r$obp$1@z-news.wcss.wroc.pl>

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On 15/03/2017 02:32, antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl wrote:
> supercat@casperkitty.com wrote:
>>
>> Back when machines were smaller, it would have been considered obvious that
>> a quality compiler should be able to handle programs whose source tree would
>> be larger than the amount of RAM available to the compiler.  Commonplace
>> computers have enough memory that compilers have less need to handle programs
>> whose source trees are bigger than memory, but if simple compilers can handle
>> such programs it shouldn't be unreasonable to expect that fancier ones should
>> be able to do so as well.
>
> My toy compiler (for a tiny pseudo Pascal) can compile Bart's 1000000
> lines in 15s.  It generates assembler source, and assembly takes
> another 20s.

My own current compiler ['A'] (for a static language like C) took 107 
seconds to produce .asm output on the equivalent 1Mloc. Not great, but I 
have a good excuse, because the language it's written in is interpreted! 
(And I wasn't concerned about efficiency at the time.)

However, assembling the resulting 6M lines of asm took 230 seconds. Now 
this is crazy: presumably the assembler (Nasm) is written in C, and the 
task of assembling (I have done it) is much simpler than compiling a 
high level language, so why is it so slow? What on earth could it be doing?

I experimented with tokenising the 6M lines of asm source, and it took 
only 1.3 seconds; so Nasm is spending another 228.7 seconds doing... who 
knows?

> Generated code is awful: 12 machine instructions and
> four temporary variables per source line.

I used to do most of my coding in interpreted code, which is slower than 
the worst native code you could possibly generate.

And it works perfectly well with the right mix (of interpreted vs. 
compiled). So that might not be as important as you think.

Even 100% interpreted can work. Take that interpreted compiler 'A' I 
mentioned above. It used to be byte-compiled with another interpreted 
compiler. Byte-code compiling all modules (of 'A') took 1.8 seconds. All 
interpreted. How long does it take to compile all modules of a typical C 
compiler (other than tiny C with tiny C)?

Designing programs efficiently can be more important than the speed of 
the language you're using.

BTW that byte-code compiler was given the ultra-fast treatment last year 
by rewriting it in compiled code. Now, all modules of compiler 'A' 
[23Kloc] can be byte-code compiled in as little as 15 ms. It's scary!

These exercises are useful because it puts the spotlight on cumbersome 
tools such as Nasm and gcc and questions why there are so inefficient. 
David Brown says gcc is doing invaluable analyses, but what analysis 
could Nasm be doing on 1000000 repetitions of stuff like this:

  ;           a:=b+c*d
        mov       A0,   [Dframe+start.b]
        mov       A1,   [Dframe+start.c]
        imul      A1,   [Dframe+start.d]
        add       A0,   A1
        mov       [Dframe+start.a], A0

> Now consider why one would submit 1000000 line
> function to the compiler.

That's very easy to answer. I didn't want to use a function at all, but 
C doesn't allow statements outside a function. I hadn't expected it to 
be a big deal. Is it?


-- 
bartc

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Thread

C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 13:01 +0000
  Re: C Compilers QoI mark.bluemel@gmail.com - 2017-03-14 06:16 -0700
  Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 06:42 -0700
  Re: C Compilers QoI "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2017-03-14 06:56 -0700
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 15:58 +0000
      Re: C Compilers QoI "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2017-03-14 09:22 -0700
      Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-14 16:54 +0000
        Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-14 10:24 -0700
          Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-14 17:58 +0000
            Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-14 14:12 -0700
              Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-14 16:34 -0500
              Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-14 17:36 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 23:06 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-14 16:20 -0700
              Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-15 02:32 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-15 12:49 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-15 11:56 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-15 23:09 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-16 18:17 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 11:47 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 07:50 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 12:59 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-03-16 21:24 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 14:23 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 11:30 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 11:38 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-03-17 05:07 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 20:26 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-03-17 07:59 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 16:14 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-16 22:54 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-17 09:01 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-26 14:16 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-26 14:19 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-26 22:43 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI GOTHIER Nathan <nathan.gothier@gmail.com> - 2017-03-27 01:28 +0200
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-26 22:07 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-27 11:28 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 07:38 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-27 16:23 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 08:55 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-27 17:01 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 10:03 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI GOTHIER Nathan <nathan.gothier@gmail.com> - 2017-03-27 17:58 +0200
                Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-27 03:54 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 08:46 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-27 17:47 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 11:48 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-27 15:37 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 14:46 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-27 20:28 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-28 01:18 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-28 18:24 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-29 07:40 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-03-29 17:05 +0200
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-29 11:07 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-31 04:04 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-31 10:53 +0100
                Re: C Compilers QoI Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-03-31 07:35 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-31 08:07 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-31 07:54 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-31 07:43 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 11:21 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-17 11:24 +1300
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-16 22:15 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-17 12:31 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-16 15:24 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 16:03 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-03-17 12:39 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-17 08:27 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-16 01:35 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-16 02:18 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-18 00:45 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-18 13:12 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-18 20:31 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-18 17:31 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-16 09:22 -0700
          Re: C Compilers QoI Nick Bowler <nbowler@draconx.ca> - 2017-03-24 16:13 +0000
            Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-24 12:32 -0700
              Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-24 22:13 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-25 13:05 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-27 15:44 -0500
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-27 14:51 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-03-27 20:31 -0500
        Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 17:26 +0000
          Re: C Compilers QoI Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2017-03-15 12:02 -0500
  Re: C Compilers QoI David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-03-14 15:00 +0100
    Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 07:36 -0700
      Re: C Compilers QoI David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-03-14 15:57 +0100
      Re: C Compilers QoI Andrey Tarasevich <andreytarasevich@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-14 08:11 -0700
        Re: C Compilers QoI BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2017-03-29 23:51 -0500
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 15:28 +0000
      Re: C Compilers QoI David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-03-14 21:41 +0100
  Re: C Compilers QoI Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-03-14 09:26 -0700
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 18:23 +0000
      Re: C Compilers QoI Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-03-14 12:05 -0700
  Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 09:35 -0700
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 17:08 +0000
      Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 10:24 -0700
        Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 17:34 +0000
        Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 11:55 -0700
          Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 19:03 +0000
            Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 19:06 +0000
            Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 12:10 -0700
              Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 21:14 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2017-03-14 14:42 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-03-14 14:53 -0700
                Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 23:20 +0000
                Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-15 02:43 +0000
  Re: C Compilers QoI jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2017-03-14 19:39 +0100
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-14 19:10 +0000
  Re: C Compilers QoI antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-03-14 19:29 +0000
  Re: C Compilers QoI Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2017-03-15 09:27 +0100
  Re: C Compilers QoI ed_davis2@yahoo.com - 2017-03-16 15:10 -0700
    Re: C Compilers QoI BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-03-16 23:19 +0000

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