Xref: utzoo comp.lang.c:7383 comp.arch:3468
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!purdue!umd5!trantor.umd.edu!chris
From: chris@trantor.umd.edu (Chris Torek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.arch
Subject: data alignment (was Re: RISC data alignment, in comp.arch)
Message-ID: <2309@umd5.umd.edu>
Date: 17 Feb 88 15:41:40 GMT
References: <2635@calmasd.GE.COM> <28200092@ccvaxa> <496@ecrcvax.UUCP>
Sender: ris@umd5.umd.edu
Reply-To: chris@trantor.umd.edu (Chris Torek)
Followup-To: comp.lang.c
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
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>In article <28200092@ccvaxa> aglew@ccvaxa.UUCP writes:
>>I have often wanted an optimizing compiler that could [rearrange]
>>struct { long a; int b; long c; char d; }
>>... and make it into AAAACCCCBBDx.

In article <496@ecrcvax.UUCP> johng@ecrcvax.UUCP (John Gregor) writes:
>I would like that also, but don't call it a struct.  Rearranging the order
>breaks lots of code and violates K&R p. 196.

Yes.  In fact, I have the perfect name for it, stolen from Craig
Stanfill's thesis hacking days here at U of MD.

If you take a bunch of data items and arrange them in an order,
you have a structured collection of data: a `struct'.  But if
you throw the data items in a carry-sack and shake well, you
have an unordered tangle of data.  Hence the proper name for
an unordered aggregate type: a `bag'.

Next week: the `blender' datatype :-) .
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Computer Science, +1 301 454 7163
(hiding out on trantor.umd.edu until mimsy is reassembled in its new home)
Domain: chris@mimsy.umd.edu		Path: not easily reachable