StackOverflow2013

Note that there are some explanatory texts on larger screens.

plurals

PO
text
Body
copied!<p>There are some good explanations elsewhere, but let me give it a try. (This is a lot easier on a whiteboard!) Here's the Wikipedia example with some notations.</p> <p>Let's say you're copying 20 bytes. The flow control of the program for the first pass is:</p> <pre><code>int count; // Set to 20 { int n = (count + 7) / 8; // n is now 3. (The "while" is going // to be run three times.) switch (count % 8) { // The remainder is 4 (20 modulo 8) so // jump to the case 4 case 0: // [skipped] do { // [skipped] *to = *from++; // [skipped] case 7: *to = *from++; // [skipped] case 6: *to = *from++; // [skipped] case 5: *to = *from++; // [skipped] case 4: *to = *from++; // Start here. Copy 1 byte (total 1) case 3: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 2) case 2: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 3) case 1: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 4) } while (--n > 0); // N = 3 Reduce N by 1, then jump up // to the "do" if it's still } // greater than 0 (and it is) } </code></pre> <p>Now, start the second pass, we run just the indicated code:</p> <pre><code>int count; // { int n = (count + 7) / 8; // // switch (count % 8) { // // case 0: // do { // The while jumps to here. *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 5) case 7: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 6) case 6: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 7) case 5: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 8) case 4: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 9) case 3: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 10) case 2: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 11) case 1: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 12) } while (--n > 0); // N = 2 Reduce N by 1, then jump up // to the "do" if it's still } // greater than 0 (and it is) } </code></pre> <p>Now, start the third pass:</p> <pre><code>int count; // { int n = (count + 7) / 8; // // switch (count % 8) { // // case 0: // do { // The while jumps to here. *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 13) case 7: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 14) case 6: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 15) case 5: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 16) case 4: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 17) case 3: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 18) case 2: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 19) case 1: *to = *from++; // Copy 1 byte (total 20) } while (--n > 0); // N = 1 Reduce N by 1, then jump up // to the "do" if it's still } // greater than 0 (and it's not, so bail) } // continue here... </code></pre> <p>20 bytes are now copied.</p> <p>Note: The original Duff's Device (shown above) copied to an I/O device at the <code>to</code> address. Thus, it wasn't necessary to increment the pointer <code>*to</code>. When copying between two memory buffers you'd need to use <code>*to++</code>.</p>

Querying!

Guidance

An individual column

Larger individual text columns get their own page to allow for proper reading.

SQuiL has stopped working due to an internal error.

If you are curious you may find further information in the browser console, which is accessible through the devtools (F12).

Reload