In the get_integer_keyed_int method in perlarray.pmc, we're cuurently
doing:
INTVAL get_integer_keyed_int (INTVAL key) {
if (key >= DYNSELF.elements() || key < -DYNSELF.elements()) {
PMC* temp = undef(INTERP);
return VTABLE_get_integer(INTERP, temp);
}
else
return SUPER(key);
}
(with similar code for get_number_keyed_int and get_string_keyed_int).
In other words, if we're referencing an element outside the current
array bounds, then we call undef(), which creates a new PerlUndef PMC,
and we then use this _solely_ to call get_integer on, despite the fact
that we _know_ that the result is going to be zero. This seems
remarkably inefficient. Is there any good reason not to simply rewrite
the above as:
INTVAL get_integer_keyed_int (INTVAL key) {
if (key >= DYNSELF.elements() || key < -DYNSELF.elements()) {
return 0;
}
else
return SUPER(key);
}
--
Simon
