Re: Reducing memory footprint when doing a lookup of millions of coordinates

~~Maybe this is a case for Memoization~~

In computing, memoization is an optimization technique used primarily to speed up computer programs by having function calls avoid repeating the calculation of results for previously-processed inputs

The Memoize module makes it easy to use by wrapping around your function.

~~It might increase the memory footprint but make the processing faster so it better to benchmark it,and if you do use it afterall I would be interested in hearing the test results.~~
Memoization is not suitable for your project. I've read your question hasty and misinterpreted it

Comment on Re: Reducing memory footprint when doing a lookup of millions of coordinates

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Re^2: Reducing memory footprint when doing a lookup of millions of coordinates by richardwfrancis (Beadle) on Feb 28, 2011 at 08:33 UTC
Wow, I've definitely got plenty to work with here. Thank you all for your help. Kind Regards, Rich	[reply]
Re^3: Reducing memory footprint when doing a lookup of millions of coordinates by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Feb 28, 2011 at 13:05 UTC
Be aware that memoisation will not help your problem at all. Memoisation speeds up repetitive calculations by caching the results of those calculations to avoid recalculating them. It uses (often prodigious amounts of) memory to gain speed. Since your stated goal is to reduce memory usage; since you have no repetitive calculations; any attempt to use the linked module could not help your performance and would increase your memory footprint, probably to the point of out-of-memory failure. 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.	[reply]
Re^4: Reducing memory footprint when doing a lookup of millions of coordinates by richardwfrancis (Beadle) on Mar 01, 2011 at 01:13 UTC
Thanks BrowserUK, I had a read up on Memoization and came to the same conclusion. However I realised I'd implemented it in another recent project without actually knowing what it was! Regards Rich	[reply]