Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!psuvax1!eds1!wa3wbu!compnect!johncore From: johncore@compnect.UUCP (John Core ) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c Subject: Re: Hash??? Not quite clear on what this is... Summary: hashing, the search for a perfect hash Message-ID: <884@compnect.UUCP> Date: 29 Nov 90 04:00:07 GMT References: <17291@netcom.UUCP> Organization: John Core at home, Harrisburg,PA Lines: 25 In article <17291@netcom.UUCP>, avery@netcom.UUCP (Avery Colter) writes: > I'm seeing all this talk of "Hash Functions". > > Are you talking about parsing? What is being defined as "hashing"? > a hash is a unique numerical value for a string between a range of preset values. it can be used for record indexing. On LARGE databases we would create a hash value (between 1 and our max records) of a key and stick the key at that position in a header file with a pointer to the actual record position of the data file. Programmers are always searching for better hash routines since there is always a collision possibility (two different keys hashing to the same value) Wizard Systems | UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!compnect!johncore P.O. Box 6269 |INTERNET: johncore@compnect.wa3wbu Harrisburg, Pa. 17112-6269 |a public bbs since 1978. Data(717)657-4992 & 4997 John Core, SYSOP |------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------| No matter where you go, there you are! a woman is just a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke. -R. Kipling