I have a hash of several hundred arrays. The keys are integers, the arrays can be up to several thousand items each.

Eg,

%hash = (
    3 => [ ... ],
    4 => [ ... ],
    6 => [ ... ],
    7 => [ ... ],
    8 => [ ... ],
   11 => [ ... ],
   ...
);

[download]

The keys need to be processed in order -- say small to large -- in groups of a fixed integer intervals.

Ie. If the interval were 4, then first all the items in the arrays keyed by 3,4,6 & 7 must be processed together. Then all those in the arrays keyed by 4, 6, 7 & 8; then those keyed by 6,7 & 8; then 7, 8, 11.

But, the processing within each group involves processing every item against every other item within the group. And when the first group (3,4,6,7) has been processed, all those have been processed against one another already, so once the 3 array is removed and the 8 array is added, all that need to be processed is the 8 array against those in 4, 6 & 7 arrays.

Then the 4 array gets dropped and there is nothing to add, so no work to do. Then the 6 array gets dropped and the 11 array need to be processed against the 7 & 8 arrays.

I hope that is a clear explanation.

The question is, how to code that?

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In reply to How to code this? by BrowserUk

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