Optimizing C ++ - Softcover

Heller, Steve

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0139774300 ISBN 13: 9780139774300

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 1998

Synopsis

Getting a program to work is just the beginning: it must work efficiently, making the most of limited time, memory, and disk space. Now, programmer Steve Heller introduces a collection of powerhouse algorithms that can supercharge virtually any C++ program. From streamlining random access to variable-length records to speeding large database sorts, you'll find it herealong with practical, "nothing-left-out" explanations.

About this title

About the Author

Steve Heller is currently President of Chrysalis Software Corporation in Plano, Texas.

From the Inside Flap

Preface

Imagine that you are about to finish a relatively large program, one that has taken a few weeks or months to write and debug. Just as you are putting the finishing touches on it, you discover that it is either too slow or runs out of memory when you feed it a realistic set of input data. You sigh, and start the task of optimizing it. But why optimize? If your program doesn't fit in memory, you can just get more memory; if it is too slow, you can get a faster processor. I have written Optimizing C++ because I believe that this common attitude is incorrect, and that a knowledge of optimization is essential toa professional programmer. One very important reason is that we often have little control over the hardware on which our programs are to be run. In this situation, the simplistic approach of adding more hardware is not feasible. Optimizing C++ provides working programmers and those who intend to be working programmers with practical, real-world approach to program optimization. Many of the optimization techniques presented are derived from my reading of academic journals that are, sadly, little known in the programming community. This book also draws on my nearly 30 years of experience as a programmer in diverse fields of application, during which I have become increasingly concerned about the amount of effort spent in reinventing optimization techniques rather than applying those already developed.
The first question you have to answer is whether your program needs optimization at all. If it does, you have to determine what part of the program is the culprit, and what resource is being overused. Chapter 1 indicates a method of attack on these problems, as well as a real-life example. All of the examples in this book were compiled with both Microsoft's Visual C++ 5.0 and the DJGPP compiler, written and copyrighted by DJ Delorie. The latter compiler, along with all the source code for the examples, is on the CD in the back of this book. The CD also includes RHIDE, an integrated development environment for the DJGPP compiler, written and copyrighted by Robert Hoehne. All of the timings and profiling statistics, unless otherwise noted, were the result of running the corresponding program compiled with Visual C++ 5.0 on my Pentium II 233 Megahertz machine with 64 megabytes of memory. I am always happy to receive correspondence from readers. If you wish to contact me, the best way is to visit my WWW page. At the moment, you can reach my page by going to any of the following addresses:

dos32/heller/heller.I should also tell you how the various typefaces are used in the book. HelveticaNarrow is used for program listings, for terms used in programs, and for words defined by the C++ language. Italics are used primarily for technical terms that are found in the glossary, although they are also used for emphasis in some places. The first time that I use a particular technical term that you might not know, it is in bold face.

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0139774300
• ISBN 13: 9780139774300
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416