Ok, fair enough. Its disappointing that I can't hand it back to the system, but I don't really need that (although it would be nice, of course.)

What I want to do is to shuffle the cards and start over. I don't really mind keeping the memory around, really. I just want to make the hash list go away so I can start a new one.

The program runs for a couple of hours, then gives up and decides to go run this re-init routine, then spends MORE THAN TEN HOURS just trying to execute %positions = ().

I guess what you are telling me is that once it starts to thrash, I'm toast, and that page management or whatever just isn't going to help me. So even my approach to break the hash table into smaller pieces isn't going to help.

Pity. Sounds like the solution will be to follow the re-exec approach; don't try to re-init, just die and restart yourself. Hm. Not sure I like that -- granted, I'm anthromophising shamelessly, but it then boils down to "play solitaire and win, or die"...

--woody


In reply to Re^2: why won't the hash go away? by WoodyWeaver
in thread why won't the hash go away? by WoodyWeaver

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