Re: Any Point in Uploading Tie::SortedHash

Level 2: Identical to level 1 only faster. The array with sorted keys and hash lookup table are only recreated when a new key is added, a value is changed, or the sort routine is changed.

That's not necessarely faster. It depends on how often you are inserting and how often you are asking for the keys. What you could do is some form of hybrid:

Create an array @sorted, and a variable $clean, initially set to 0.
If FIRSTKEY is called, check the value of $clean. If it's true, @sorted contains the sorted keys. If false, fill @sorted with the sorted keys of the hash, and set $clean to 1.
If you insert a key in the hash, or change the sort order, or delete something from the hash, set $clean to 0.
This might cause some bizarre results if you modify a hash while iterating over it, but that may happen with normal hashes too.

Deleting a key doesn't require a rebuild because the element is deleted from the array and the lookup hash.

Are you aware that deleting an element from an array can take time linear in the size of the array?

Abigail

Comment on Re: Any Point in Uploading Tie::SortedHash

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Re: Re: Any Point in Uploading Tie::SortedHash by Limbic~Region (Chancellor) on Sep 05, 2003 at 22:31 UTC
Abigail, My verbiage was incorrect. The code is a hybrid as you describe. The rebuild does not happen when a key is deleted, value is changed, etc. Only a flag is set that is checked when FIRSTKEY is called. A rebuild only happens under those circumstances. In reference to deleting an array element taking time in linear proportion to the size of the array, no I was not aware of this. The two alternatives I can think of are: Set the CHANGED flag and rebuild if FIRSTKEY is ever called again Use more memory and delay the delete(s) until FIRSTKEY is called again. If in the interim the hash is modified, the rebuild would occur and the delete(s) would be forgotten. If FIRSTKEY was never called again, they would also be forgotten (albeit using some memory). Do you see a clear way to go? Cheers - L~R	[reply]

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Re: Re: Any Point in Uploading Tie::SortedHash
by Limbic~Region (Chancellor) on Sep 05, 2003 at 22:31 UTC

Abigail

In reference to deleting an array element taking time in linear proportion to the size of the array, no I was not aware of this. The two alternatives I can think of are:

Set the CHANGED flag and rebuild if FIRSTKEY is ever called again
Use more memory and delay the delete(s) until FIRSTKEY is called again. If in the interim the hash is modified, the rebuild would occur and the delete(s) would be forgotten. If FIRSTKEY was never called again, they would also be forgotten (albeit using some memory).
Do you see a clear way to go?
Cheers - L~R

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