[erlang-questions] Why does Erlang have control structures?

[Paul Oliver]

You can use erlc +to_core to get the core erlang:

module 'test' ['is_greater_than'/2,
       'is_greater_than_control'/2,
       'is_true'/1,
       'module_info'/0,
       'module_info'/1]
    attributes []
'is_true'/1 =
    %% Line 5
    fun (_cor0) ->
case _cor0 of
  <'true'> when 'true' ->
      %% Line 6
      'true'
  %% Line 7
  <'false'> when 'true' ->
      %% Line 8
      'false'
  ( <_cor1> when 'true' ->
( primop 'match_fail'
      ({'function_clause',_cor1})
  -| [{'function_name',{'is_true',1}}] )
    -| ['compiler_generated'] )
end
'is_greater_than'/2 =
    %% Line 10
    fun (_cor1,_cor0) ->
let <_cor2> =
    %% Line 11
    call 'erlang':'>'
(_cor1, _cor0)
in  %% Line 11
    apply 'is_true'/1
(_cor2)
'is_greater_than_control'/2 =
    %% Line 13
    fun (_cor1,_cor0) ->
%% Line 15
case <> of
  %% Line 16
  <>
      when call 'erlang':'>'
    (_cor1,
     _cor0) ->
      %% Line 17
      'true'
  %% Line 18
  <> when 'true' ->
      %% Line 19
      'false'
end
'module_info'/0 =
    fun () ->
call 'erlang':'get_module_info'
    ('test')
'module_info'/1 =
    fun (_cor0) ->
call 'erlang':'get_module_info'
    ('test', _cor0)
end

On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 5:44 PM, Jayson Barley <jayson.barley@REDACTED>wrote:

> That is interesting. I didn't know that. I wonder why over 100 million
> iterations I consistently get between 1 to 2 second differences in timing.
> I know that there will be differences due to garbage collection, other
> processes running, etc, but the is_greater_than_control/2 function always
> outperforms the is_greater_than/2 function. Am I making a wrong assumption
> and eventually the opposite would be true? Could you test the below code on
> your system and let me know if you get similar results?
>
> -module(test).
> -compile(export_all).
>
>
> is_true(true) ->
>     true;
> is_true(false) ->
>     false.
>
> is_greater_than(X, Y) ->
>     is_true(X>Y).
>
> is_greater_than_control(X, Y) ->
>
>     if
>         X>Y ->
>             true;
>         true -> % works as an 'else' branch
>             false
>     end.
>
> test_if(X, X, _) ->
>     done;
> test_if(X, Max, Fun) ->
>     Fun(X, Max),
>     test_if(X + 1, Max, Fun).
>
> test_if(Max) ->
>     [timer:tc(test, test_if, [0, Max, fun is_greater_than/2]),
> timer:tc(test, test_if, [0, Max, fun is_greater_than_control/2])].
>
> 8> test:test_if(100000000).
> [{7234000,done},{5718999,done}]
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 2:00 PM, Andrzej Sliwa <andrzej.sliwa@REDACTED>wrote:
>
>> there is no difference in speed at all,
>>
>> > switch_signal({signal, _What, _From, _To}) ->
>> >     true;
>> > switch_signal({signal, _What, _To}) ->
>> >     true;
>> > switch_signal(_Else) ->
>> >     false.
>>
>> is compiled internally to one function with case
>> so code speed is equal
>>
>> there is only difference in readability.
>>
>> On Aug 27, 2012, at 10:56 PM, Jayson Barley <jayson.barley@REDACTED>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > I am not sure I understand why we have them. For instance I can take
>> the following code
>> > is_greater_than(X, Y) ->
>> >     if
>> >         X>Y ->
>> >             true;
>> >         true -> % works as an 'else' branch
>> >             false
>> >     end.
>> > And make it
>> > is_true(true) ->
>> >     true;
>> > is_true(false) ->
>> >     false.
>> >
>> > is_greater_than(X, Y) ->
>> >     is_true(X>Y).
>> > I can do the same thing with case statements
>> > is_valid_signal(Signal) ->
>> >     case Signal of
>> >         {signal, _What, _From, _To} ->
>> >             true;
>> >         {signal, _What, _To} ->
>> >             true;
>> >         _Else ->
>> >             false
>> >     end.
>> > Becomes
>> > switch_signal({signal, _What, _From, _To}) ->
>> >     true;
>> > switch_signal({signal, _What, _To}) ->
>> >     true;
>> > switch_signal(_Else) ->
>> >     false.
>> >
>> > is_valid_signal(Signal) ->
>> >     switch_signal(Signal).
>> >
>> > I know that the control structures are a little bit faster, not much,
>> but I find that the function form is more readable.
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > erlang-questions mailing list
>> > erlang-questions@REDACTED
>> > http://erlang.org/mailman/listinfo/erlang-questions
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> erlang-questions mailing list
> erlang-questions@REDACTED
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>
>
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