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digitalmars.D.learn - Optimization in std.algorithm.max?

reply Jesse Phillips <Jesse.K.Phillips gmail.com> writes:
There is a good possibility that I don't know anything, but is there something
about doing two checks that goes faster?

        static if (isIntegral!(T1) && isIntegral!(T2)
                   && (mostNegative!(T1) < 0) != (mostNegative!(T2) < 0))
            static if (mostNegative!(T1) < 0)
                immutable chooseB = b > a || a < 0;
            else
                immutable chooseB = b > a && b > 0;
        else
            immutable chooseB = b > a;

What has me baffled is the second checks after b > a. Doesn't b > a always
answer the question? The only thing I can think of is a check for negative
being faster, so shouldn't they come before the b > a check?
Nov 22 2011
parent Jerry <jlquinn optonline.net> writes:
Jesse Phillips <Jesse.K.Phillips gmail.com> writes:

 There is a good possibility that I don't know anything, but is there something
about doing two checks that goes faster?

         static if (isIntegral!(T1) && isIntegral!(T2)
                    && (mostNegative!(T1) < 0) != (mostNegative!(T2) < 0))
             static if (mostNegative!(T1) < 0)
                 immutable chooseB = b > a || a < 0;
In this case, T1 (a) is a signed value and b is unsigned. To do the comparison, D will implicitly convert the signed variable 'a' to unsigned. This will wrap around the negative values. Therefore, using the case of 32 bit ints as an example, if b = 1, and a = -1, the comparison performed will be 1 > 0xffffffff || -1 < 0 The first test fails, so the 2nd is required to succeed.
             else
                 immutable chooseB = b > a && b > 0;
In this case, a is the unsigned value and b is signed and cast to unsigned byt the compiler. With a = 1 and b = -1, the test becomes 0xffffffff > 1 && -1 > 0 The 2nd test is required to make this fail.
         else
             immutable chooseB = b > a;

 What has me baffled is the second checks after b > a. Doesn't b > a always
answer the question? The only thing I can think of is a check for negative
being faster, so shouldn't they come before the b > a check?
Jerry Quinn
Nov 25 2011