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Efficient binary transfer of pointer structures
Author(s) -
Toyn Ian,
Dix Alan J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380241103
Subject(s) - pointer (user interface) , computer science , copying , pointer analysis , binary number , garbage collection , linked list , data structure , software , algorithm , theoretical computer science , programming language , computer hardware , static analysis , garbage , arithmetic , mathematics , political science , law
This paper presents a pair of algorithms for output and input of pointer structures in binary format. Both algorithms operate in linear space and time. They have been inspired by copying garbage collection algorithms, and make similar assumptions about the representations of pointer structures. In real programs, the transfer of entire pointer structures is often inappropriate. The algorithms are extended to transfer partitions of a pointer structure lazily: the receiver requests partitions when it needs them. A remote procedure call mechanism is presented that uses the binary transfer algorithms for communicating arguments and results. A use of this as an enabling mechanism in the implementation of a software engineering environment is discussed.