From 5df6c430619d7652a5d0c0fb6c87332407b5330e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Luca Barbieri Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:09:17 +0200 Subject: p_compiler: add likely/unlikely macros Defined like the Linux kernel. A explanatory comment is included. --- src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h | 40 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 39 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) (limited to 'src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h') diff --git a/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h b/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h index 09d6b6c9e2..9b31555f1b 100644 --- a/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h +++ b/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_compiler.h @@ -182,6 +182,44 @@ typedef unsigned char boolean; #endif - +/* You should use these macros to mark if blocks where the if condition + * is either likely to be true, or unlikely to be true. + * + * This will inform human readers of this fact, and will also inform + * the compiler, who will in turn inform the CPU. + * + * CPUs often start executing code inside the if or the else blocks + * without knowing whether the condition is true or not, and will have + * to throw the work away if they find out later they executed the + * wrong part of the if. + * + * If these macros are used, the CPU is more likely to correctly predict + * the right path, and will avoid speculatively executing the wrong branch, + * thus not throwing away work, resulting in better performance. + * + * In light of this, it is also a good idea to mark as "likely" a path + * which is not necessarily always more likely, but that will benefit much + * more from performance improvements since it is already much faster than + * the other path, or viceversa with "unlikely". + * + * Example usage: + * if(unlikely(do_we_need_a_software_fallback())) + * do_software_fallback(); + * else + * render_with_gpu(); + * + * The macros follow the Linux kernel convention, and more examples can + * be found there. + * + * Note that profile guided optimization can offer better results, but + * needs an appropriate coverage suite and does not inform human readers. + */ +#ifdef __GNUC__ +#define likely(x) __builtin_expect(!!(x), 1) +#define unlikely(x) __builtin_expect(!!(x), 0) +#else +#define likely(x) !!(x) +#define unlikely(x) !!(x) +#endif #endif /* P_COMPILER_H */ -- cgit v1.2.3