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Variable type for efficient code

 
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Variable type for efficient code
shanihg
21 Jan, 2008 - 02:54 AM
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Hi
Could anyone please advise when I am developing my code on Windows XP platform, would the generated code be most efficient if I declare most of my variables as DWORD or WORD?

Thanks
Shani
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cricketfancy
RE: Variable Type For Efficient Code
21 Jan, 2008 - 03:11 AM
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QUOTE(shanihg @ 21 Jan, 2008 - 03:54 AM) *

Hi
Could anyone please advise when I am developing my code on Windows XP platform, would the generated code be most efficient if I declare most of my variables as DWORD or WORD?

Thanks
Shani


i think dword....................
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baavgai
RE: Variable Type For Efficient Code
21 Jan, 2008 - 04:53 AM
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Well, WORD is 2 bytes, and DWORD is double WORD, or 4 bytes. So WORD should take of less storage. However, if the functions you're using all want DWORD, use that. Unless you're writing a driver or something, it's really not a point to be worried about. Indeed, depending on the compiler, it might allocate differently than you'd expect, just to be safe.

You will see untold numbers of C programs that use int, where they could have used byte. This is done for a kind of efficiency, it's easier just to deal with the one type.

Hope this helps.
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Bench
RE: Variable Type For Efficient Code
22 Jan, 2008 - 02:42 AM
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QUOTE(shanihg @ 21 Jan, 2008 - 10:54 AM) *

Hi
Could anyone please advise when I am developing my code on Windows XP platform, would the generated code be most efficient if I declare most of my variables as DWORD or WORD?

Thanks
Shani

That's an unanswerable question, given the information you've provided. The answer depends entirely on the program, what data you'll be storing, the quantity of data you're talking about, and how that data will be used in your program.
in many cases, the answer will be 'It doesn't really matter'.
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