Initial object capacity determination

• US 20030177478A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/4434 Reducing the memory space required by the program code

Abstract

The present invention generally provides a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture whereby source code is analyzed by the compiler to determine if a default object capacity should change. In one embodiment of the invention, the compiler determines an initial object capacity based upon the use of a particular consumption method against an object created in the source code.

Claims

1. A method of compiling object-oriented source code, comprising:

compiling, by a compiler, object-oriented code comprising objects each having at least one associated method; and

while compiling the object-oriented code, determining whether a size of each of the objects should be changed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented code, an object creation statement for an object; and

using dataflow analysis to trace the object and determine an existence of at least one method invocation against the object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method invocation is a method associated with an object, such that, when involved, it consumes object storage leading to the need to expand the object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented source code, an object creation statement for an object; and

determining whether at least one method invocation against the object exists.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method invocation comprises:

a computation associated with an object type of the object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a size of the object should change; and

generating an initial object size value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the size of at least one of the objects should be increased from its default size; and

increasing the size of at least one object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased is performed by the compiler.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

determining whether an object has an associated consumption method defining a computation for determining an initial object size.

10. A computer readable medium containing a compiler which, when executed, performs an operation comprising

compiling, by a compiler, object-oriented code comprising objects each having at least one associated method;

and

while compiling the object-oriented code, determining whether a size of each of the objects should change.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented code, an object creation statement for an object; and

using dataflow analysis to trace the object and determine an existence of at least one method invocation against the object.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method invocation is a method associated with an object, such that, when involved, it consumes object storage leading to the need to expand the object.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented source code, an object creation statement for an object; and

determining whether at least one method invocation against the object exists.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method invocation comprises:

a computation associated with an object type of the object.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that a size of the object should change; and

generating an initial object size value.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the size of at least one of the objects should be increased from its default size; and

increasing the size of at least one object.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased is performed by the compiler.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

determining whether an object has an associated consumption method defining a computation for determining an initial object size.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a memory containing a compiler; and

a processor which, when executing a compiler, performing an operation comprising;

a method of compiling object-oriented source code, comprising;

compiling, by a compiler, object-oriented code comprising objects each having at least one associated method; and

while compiling the object-oriented code, determining whether a size of each of the objects should be changed.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented code, an object creation statement for an object; and

using dataflow analysis to trace the object and determine an existence of at least one method invocation against the object.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the method invocation is a method associated with an object, such that, when invoked, it consumes object storage requiring expansion of the object.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

encountering, in the object-oriented source code, an object creation statement for an object; and

determining whether at least one method invocation against the object exists.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the method invocation comprises:

a computation associated with an object type of the object.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

determining that a size of the object should change; and

generating an initial object size value.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

determining that the size of at least one of the objects should be increased from its default size; and

increasing the size of at least one object.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased is performed by the compiler.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining whether the size of each of the objects should be increased, comprises:

determining whether an object has an associated consumption method defining a computation for determining an initial object size.