On 21/11/2007, Adrian Grajdeanu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Nick, do you know for a fact that a C++ complier will optimize for the > base case of a virtual function? I was under the impression that it > doesn't know (as in can't determine at compile time) whether the > function was overwritten or not so it doesn't favor any of the cases. In > fact I can't even figure how it would if it wanted to optimize an > indirect function call. > I'm not trying to start a war, just to clarify my assumption. As it is I > generally write code using virtual functions that I most often do > overwrite. If what you say is true, then I am incurring the penalty most > of the time and that would be bad...
A C++ compiler can make those kinds of assumptions if the object is created within the current compilation unit and can not be overwritten from outside it. There are a whole class of optimizations in Java, C and C++ which can only be applied under these circumstances, which rely on concepts of scope. Whether or not a particular compiler uses these optimizations in a particular case is another matter. cheers stuart _______________________________________________ computer-go mailing list computer-go@computer-go.org http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/
