Pointers vs. Arrays: an aside about efficiency

[Geoff Kuenning]

>>for maximum efficiency, I have to write:
>>	{ struct foo *foop = fooarr;
>>	  for (i=0, i < FOOMAX; i++)
>>		dostuff(*(foop++));
>>	}
>>instead of what I mean:
>>	for (i=0; i < FOOMAX; i++)
>>		dostuff(fooarr[i]);
>>
>>	Roger Hayes

>Only on some machines does the former generate better code....On some
>machines, pointer handling (other than just plain indirection) is so
>cumbersome that the second piece of code is always better.
>                 Kevin Martin

Which is precisely the point.  The programmer writing the code can't know
what the most efficient method is;  the compiler can, and should take
advantage of this knowledge to produce better code.

Of course, we could always put in #if vax || prime || ... :-)
-- 
	Geoff Kuenning
	First Systems Corporation
	...!ihnp4!trwrb!desint!geoff