Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

299.0. "Fast memory management - Internal field test" by R2ME2::GARYB (Don't dream it. Be it.) Fri Feb 24 1989 13:07

   The VMS Utility RTL has implemented a new improved (faster than a
   speeding byte, etc) memory allocator and would like volunteers for
   internal field testing.  The code has been tested within the RTL group
   replacing the LIB$GET_VM (LIBRTL), Xmemory_malloc (XLIB), and malloc
   (VAXCRTL) routines reliably.  More extensive testing is desired.

   The memory allocator interface and semantics are compatible with the C
   language malloc routines.

   To facilitate testing, the code will be provided in several forms.  The
   first form is a VAXCRTL replacement. The malloc routines in it have been
   replaced with the new allocator routines. The second form is an XLIB
   replacement.  Any program linked against DECW$XLIBSHR will call the new
   routines.  Object modules with C or XLIB entry points are also available
   (IFT-C$MALLOC.OBJ, IFT-XLIB$MALLOC.OBJ).

   The new routines are about 15% to 75% faster than the current XLIB
   allocator (which is already much faster than malloc and LIB$GET_VM) when
   running standard Decwindows applications.  In some cases the routines
   are up to 5x faster.

   The new routines are also more robust.  The robustness has been reduced
   for field test to match the C and XLIB routines.  A more robust version
   is available upon request which catches some errors that the C and XLIB
   routines miss (or ignore).
   
   Report bugs and strange behavior to me.  Bugs should be reproducible and
   of course should go away when the original VAXCRTL or XLIB is
   reinstalled. 

   The VAXCRTL also contains a bug fix which the VAX C group would like field
   tested: 

       Problem description: 

       Applications which invoke the VAX C RTL shared image separately from
       a C main program can cause the c$$ex_handler to be established
       twice. This causes the exit handler chain to be corrupted,
       eventually leading to an ACCVIO.  This problem was discovered while
       combining a C application program with VAX PCA and DECwindows. 

   The files can be copied from:

	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-VAXCCURSE.OLB *
	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-VAXCRTL.EXE *
	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-VAXCRTL.OLB *
	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-VAXCRTLG.EXE *
	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-VAXCRTLG.OLB *

	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-C$MALLOC.OBJ *

	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-XLIB$MALLOC.OBJ *

	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-DECW$XLIBSHR-SDC.EXE *
	COPY CLT::RTL$KITS:IFT-DECW$XLIBSHR-FT.EXE *

   NOTE: The IFT-DECW$XLIBSHR-SDC.EXE file is for VMS V5.1 SDC and V5.2 FT.
   The IFT-DECW$XLIBSHR-FT.EXE is only for V5.1 FT.

   If you have trouble accessing CLT, try copying the files after 5:30PM
   EST.
   
   You can either rename the files or use logicals to access the new
   versions.  Don't forget to save the old files!  The shareable images
   need to be installed.  Please don't attempt this unless your confident
   you know what you're doing. 

   Thanks for your help.

   -Gary Barton

re: .-1

	Gary.  Did this make it into 5.2 FT update or should I re-install
	these images and libraries again?


Sean

Re: 299.1

	The images presented for IFT (VAXCRTL and DECW$XLIBSHR) do
not use the new routines in V5.2.  I do not know when (or if) they
will use the routines.  So, yes, if you want the routines to be
used in those images, you'll have to install the images I made
available for internal field test.

-Gary

    The DECW$XLIBSHR image provided with VMS V5.2 will not use the
    new memory allocation routines. The only DECwindows changes that
    are being included in V5.2 are critical bugfixes - no new 
    functionality and no new documentation. 

Can I use these routines under DECwindows V2 FT running on VMS V5.2 SSB?  Or
are the new "fast" routines already part of DECwindows V2?

-Mike

    The fast VAXCRTL memory management routines are already used
    by the DECwindows V2 FT Xlib and toolkit.

re .5:

OK, that's what I thought.

.3 mentions the new routines aren't in V5.2, and VAXCRTL.EXE comes with VMS,
not DECwindows so am I correct in assuming my VAXCRTL.EXE doesn't contain the
new routines?  Is replacing just VAXCRTL.EXE and VAXCRTLG.EXE a good or bad
idea?  Might there be an additional speed increase in DECwindows if I replace
VAXCRTL.EXE?  I already noticed V2 is faster than V1.

-Mike

The routines  are  not in VAXCRTL, nor are they presently used by the C RTL.
We  are  planning  on using them in the HICKORY release. The routines are in
LIBRTL,  under  the  names LIB$VM_MALLOC, LIB$VM_CALLOC, LIB$VM_REALLOC, and
LIB$VM_FREE.

- Brad