From: Reid Sweatman (reids_at_[hidden])
Date: 1999-08-13 15:23:04
> E.g. a live_map: a map from address to a cached object,
> that automatically removes entries from the map when
> they are removed from the cache. Rather like an auxiliary
> index to a cache, always kept consistent as objects are removed
> from the cache.
>
> (I think that Reid will undestand this application).
I was about to post a reply when I got to that line <g>. Yup, you just
barked up my tree (to mangle a metaphor).
> "Automatic" removal of pointers to deallocated objects might be
>
> a) instantaneous: the live_container might be registered
> the same way a live_pointer is, and have a method called
> on pointee deallocation
>
> b) deferred: the live_container might contain live_pointers.
> When the live_container is queried, all entries containing 0
> live pointers would be removed.
>
> Typically this would be done inside an iterator:
> begin(), end(), ++, --, [], etc.
>
> As usual, I am lazy, and would prefer not to have to code
> up all of
> the iterator access methods - but I don't see anything like
> "iterator hooks".
>
> Count queries would be problematic: probably the stale objects
> should be removed from the container first.
>
> Overall, the complexity of this deferred implementation probably
> means that the instantaneous, registered, implementation
> is cleaner,
> even though the deferred implementation might be preferrable
> for performance.
I can see benefits to going either way, so I wonder whether you couldn't
combine them. That is, use the registry method, but don't physically remove
the pointer, even when its count goes to zero; that way, you'd get a (small)
win by simply reassigning the nulled pointer, rather than having to
reallocate it. Don't know if this would be enough of a win to matter,
though. If not, I think I'd personally prefer deferred. Or perhaps combine
the two by maintaining a simple linked list of nulled pointers still in the
map, sort of an available allocation pool. I've written schemes like that
often enough to appreciate having them built in.