in reply to Why do closures save memory?

A quick investigation to see how Class::Struct generates its accessors reveals an eval. eval is expensive (string evail that is, the kind used in Class::Struct, indicated by ###########################<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< in readmore).
Compare
#Class::Accessor sub make_accessor { my($class, $field) = @_; # Build a closure around $field. return sub { my($self) = shift; if(@_) { return $self->set($field, @_); } else { return $self->get($field); } }; }
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#Class::Struct sub struct { # Determine parameter list structure, one of: # struct( class => [ element-list ]) # struct( class => { element-list }) # struct( element-list ) # Latter form assumes current package name as struct name. my ($class, @decls); my $base_type = ref $_[1]; if ( $base_type eq 'HASH' ) { $class = shift; @decls = %{shift()}; _usage_error() if @_; } elsif ( $base_type eq 'ARRAY' ) { $class = shift; @decls = @{shift()}; _usage_error() if @_; } else { $base_type = 'ARRAY'; $class = (caller())[0]; @decls = @_; } _usage_error() if @decls % 2 == 1; # Ensure we are not, and will not be, a subclass. my $isa = do { no strict 'refs'; \@{$class . '::ISA'}; }; _subclass_error() if @$isa; tie @$isa, 'Class::Struct::Tie_ISA'; # Create constructor. croak "function 'new' already defined in package $class" if do { no strict 'refs'; defined &{$class . "::new"} }; my @methods = (); my %refs = (); my %arrays = (); my %hashes = (); my %classes = (); my $got_class = 0; my $out = ''; $out = "{\n package $class;\n use Carp;\n sub new {\n"; $out .= " my (\$class, \%init) = \@_;\n"; $out .= " \$class = __PACKAGE__ unless \@_;\n"; my $cnt = 0; my $idx = 0; my( $cmt, $name, $type, $elem ); if( $base_type eq 'HASH' ){ $out .= " my(\$r) = {};\n"; $cmt = ''; } elsif( $base_type eq 'ARRAY' ){ $out .= " my(\$r) = [];\n"; } while( $idx < @decls ){ $name = $decls[$idx]; $type = $decls[$idx+1]; push( @methods, $name ); if( $base_type eq 'HASH' ){ $elem = "{'${class}::$name'}"; } elsif( $base_type eq 'ARRAY' ){ $elem = "[$cnt]"; ++$cnt; $cmt = " # $name"; } if( $type =~ /^\*(.)/ ){ $refs{$name}++; $type = $1; } my $init = "defined(\$init{'$name'}) ? \$init{'$name'} :"; if( $type eq '@' ){ $out .= " croak 'Initializer for $name must be array re +ference'\n"; $out .= " if defined(\$init{'$name'}) && ref(\$init +{'$name'}) ne 'ARRAY';\n"; $out .= " \$r->$elem = $init [];$cmt\n"; $arrays{$name}++; } elsif( $type eq '%' ){ $out .= " croak 'Initializer for $name must be hash ref +erence'\n"; $out .= " if defined(\$init{'$name'}) && ref(\$init +{'$name'}) ne 'HASH';\n"; $out .= " \$r->$elem = $init {};$cmt\n"; $hashes{$name}++; } elsif ( $type eq '$') { $out .= " \$r->$elem = $init undef;$cmt\n"; } elsif( $type =~ /^\w+(?:::\w+)*$/ ){ $init = "defined(\$init{'$name'}) ? \%{\$init{'$name'}} : +()"; $out .= " croak 'Initializer for $name must be hash ref +erence'\n"; $out .= " if defined(\$init{'$name'}) && ref(\$init +{'$name'}) ne 'HASH';\n"; $out .= " \$r->$elem = '${type}'->new($init);$cmt\n"; $classes{$name} = $type; $got_class = 1; } else{ croak "'$type' is not a valid struct element type"; } $idx += 2; } $out .= " bless \$r, \$class;\n }\n"; # Create accessor methods. my( $pre, $pst, $sel ); $cnt = 0; foreach $name (@methods){ if ( do { no strict 'refs'; defined &{$class . "::$name"} } ) +{ warnings::warnif("function '$name' already defined, overri +des struct accessor method"); } else { $pre = $pst = $cmt = $sel = ''; if( defined $refs{$name} ){ $pre = "\\("; $pst = ")"; $cmt = " # returns ref"; } $out .= " sub $name {$cmt\n my \$r = shift;\n"; if( $base_type eq 'ARRAY' ){ $elem = "[$cnt]"; ++$cnt; } elsif( $base_type eq 'HASH' ){ $elem = "{'${class}::$name'}"; } if( defined $arrays{$name} ){ $out .= " my \$i;\n"; $out .= " \@_ ? (\$i = shift) : return \$r->$elem;\ +n"; $sel = "->[\$i]"; } elsif( defined $hashes{$name} ){ $out .= " my \$i;\n"; $out .= " \@_ ? (\$i = shift) : return \$r->$elem;\ +n"; $sel = "->{\$i}"; } elsif( defined $classes{$name} ){ if ( $CHECK_CLASS_MEMBERSHIP ) { $out .= " croak '$name argument is wrong class' + if \@_ && ! UNIVERSAL::isa(\$_[0], '$classes{$name}');\n"; } } $out .= " croak 'Too many args to $name' if \@_ > 1;\n" +; $out .= " \@_ ? ($pre\$r->$elem$sel = shift$pst) : $pre +\$r->$elem$sel$pst;\n"; $out .= " }\n"; } } $out .= "}\n1;\n"; print $out if $print; my $result = eval $out; ###########################<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< +<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< carp $@ if $@; }
update: made somenotes on top, they're in bold. Also added reamore. Thanks grantm, that is an important distinction.

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Re: Re: Why do closures save memory?
by grantm (Parson) on Jul 07, 2003 at 09:51 UTC
    eval is expensive

    Just to pick a nit, I'm sure what you meant to say was "eval of a string is expensive".

    The cost of wrapping eval around a block is less than the cost of a subroutine call. Since eval of a block is the standard way to catch exceptions I think it's important we don't leave people with the impression that catching exceptions is expensive.