Originally the data comes from a SQLite database....

Then I very strongly advise against taking the data out of the db and putting it into a hash.

Not only will doing so take considerable time and substantial space, although for read-only use you won't need locking, there is no way to turn off the locking Perl uses to protect its internals, and that will bring your application to a crawl.

Instead, share the db handle and create statement handles for your queries. Whilst I haven't done this personally (yet), according to this, the default 'serialized' mode of operation means that you don't even need to do user locking as the DB will take care of that for you.

If you create/clone your DB as an in-memory DB, after you've spawned your threads; then you will avoid the duplication of that DB and the performance should be on a par with, and potentially faster than a shared hash.

When I get time, which may not be soon, I intend to test this scenario for myself as I think it might be a good solution to sharing large amounts of data between threads. Something Perl definitely needs.

It may even be possible to wrap it over in a tied hash to simplify the programmers view of the DB without incurring the high overheads of threads::shared (That's very speculative!).

In any case, as your data is already in a DB; don't take it out and put it in shared hashes. That just doesn't make sense. Just load it into memory after you threads are spawned; and then set the dbh into a shared variable where the threads can get access to it.

At least, that is what I would (and will) try.

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

In reply to Re^3: threads::shared seems to kill performance by BrowserUk
in thread threads::shared seems to kill performance by Jacobs

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