XEmacs 21.2.5

[chise/xemacs-chise.git.1] / man / lispref / hash-tables.texi

@c -*-texinfo-*-
@c This is part of the XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1996 Ben Wing.
@c See the file lispref.texi for copying conditions.
@setfilename ../../info/hash-tables.info
@node Hash Tables, Range Tables, Display, top
@chapter Hash Tables
@cindex hash table

@defun hash-table-p object
This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a hash table, else @code{nil}.
@end defun

@menu
* Introduction to Hash Tables:: Hash tables are fast data structures for
                                implementing simple tables (i.e. finite
                                mappings from keys to values).
* Working With Hash Tables::    Hash table functions.
* Weak Hash Tables::            Hash tables with special garbage-collection
                                behavior.
@end menu

@node Introduction to Hash Tables
@section Introduction to Hash Tables

A @dfn{hash table} is a data structure that provides mappings from
arbitrary Lisp objects called @dfn{keys} to other arbitrary Lisp objects
called @dfn{values}.  A key/value pair is sometimes called an
@dfn{entry} in the hash table.  There are many ways other than hash
tables of implementing the same sort of mapping, e.g.  association lists
(@pxref{Association Lists}) and property lists (@pxref{Property Lists}),
but hash tables provide much faster lookup when there are many entries
in the mapping.  Hash tables are an implementation of the abstract data
type @dfn{dictionary}, also known as @dfn{associative array}.

Internally, hash tables are hashed using the @dfn{linear probing} hash
table implementation method.  This method hashes each key to a
particular spot in the hash table, and then scans forward sequentially
until a blank entry is found.  To look up a key, hash to the appropriate
spot, then search forward for the key until either a key is found or a
blank entry stops the search.  This method is used in preference to
double hashing because of changes in recent hardware.  The penalty for
non-sequential access to memory has been increasing, and this
compensates for the problem of clustering that linear probing entails.

When hash tables are created, the user may (but is not required to)
specify initial properties that influence performance.

Use the @code{:size} parameter to specify the number of entries that are
likely to be stored in the hash table, to avoid the overhead of resizing
the table.  But if the pre-allocated space for the entries is never
used, it is simply wasted and makes XEmacs slower.  Excess unused hash
table entries exact a small continuous performance penalty, since they
must be scanned at every garbage collection.  If the number of entries
in the hash table is unknown, simply avoid using the @code{:size}
keyword.

Use the @code{:rehash-size} and @code{:rehash-threshold} keywords to
adjust the algorithm for deciding when to rehash the hash table.  For
temporary hash tables that are going to be very heavily used, use a
small rehash threshold, for example, 0.4 and a large rehash size, for
example 2.0.  For permanent hash tables that will be infrequently used,
specify a large rehash threshold, for example 0.8.

Hash tables can also be created by the lisp reader using structure
syntax, for example:
@example
#s(hash-table size 20 data (foo 1 bar 2))
@end example

The structure syntax accepts the same keywords as @code{make-hash-table}
(without the @code{:} character), as well as the additional keyword
@code{data}, which specifies the initial hash table contents.

@defun make-hash-table &key @code{:size} @code{:test} @code{:type} @code{:rehash-size} @code{:rehash-threshold}
This function returns a new empty hash table object.

Keyword @code{:size} specifies the number of keys likely to be inserted.
This number of entries can be inserted without enlarging the hash table.

Keyword @code{:test} can be @code{eq}, @code{eql} (default) or @code{equal}.
Comparison between keys is done using this function.
If speed is important, consider using @code{eq}.
When storing strings in the hash table, you will likely need to use @code{equal}.

Keyword @code{:type} can be @code{non-weak} (default), @code{weak},
@code{key-weak} or @code{value-weak}.

A weak hash table is one whose pointers do not count as GC referents:
for any key-value pair in the hash table, if the only remaining pointer
to either the key or the value is in a weak hash table, then the pair
will be removed from the hash table, and the key and value collected.
A non-weak hash table (or any other pointer) would prevent the object
from being collected.

A key-weak hash table is similar to a fully-weak hash table except that
a key-value pair will be removed only if the key remains unmarked
outside of weak hash tables.  The pair will remain in the hash table if
the key is pointed to by something other than a weak hash table, even
if the value is not.

A value-weak hash table is similar to a fully-weak hash table except
that a key-value pair will be removed only if the value remains
unmarked outside of weak hash tables.  The pair will remain in the
hash table if the value is pointed to by something other than a weak
hash table, even if the key is not.

Keyword @code{:rehash-size} must be a float greater than 1.0, and specifies
the factor by which to increase the size of the hash table when enlarging.

Keyword @code{:rehash-threshold} must be a float between 0.0 and 1.0,
and specifies the load factor of the hash table which triggers enlarging.
@end defun

@defun copy-hash-table hash-table
This function returns a new hash table which contains the same keys and
values as @var{hash-table}.  The keys and values will not themselves be
copied.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-count hash-table
This function returns the number of entries in @var{hash-table}.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-size hash-table
This function returns the current number of slots in @var{hash-table},
whether occupied or not.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-type hash-table
This function returns the type of @var{hash-table}.
This can be one of @code{non-weak}, @code{weak}, @code{key-weak} or
@code{value-weak}.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-test hash-table
This function returns the test function of @var{hash-table}.
This can be one of @code{eq}, @code{eql} or @code{equal}.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-rehash-size hash-table
This function returns the current rehash size of @var{hash-table}.
This is a float greater than 1.0; the factor by which @var{hash-table}
is enlarged when the rehash threshold is exceeded.
@end defun

@defun hash-table-rehash-threshold hash-table
This function returns the current rehash threshold of @var{hash-table}.
This is a float between 0.0 and 1.0; the maximum @dfn{load factor} of
@var{hash-table}, beyond which the @var{hash-table} is enlarged by rehashing.
@end defun

@node Working With Hash Tables
@section Working With Hash Tables

@defun puthash key value hash-table
This function hashes @var{key} to @var{value} in @var{hash-table}.
@end defun

@defun gethash key hash-table &optional default
This function finds the hash value for @var{key} in @var{hash-table}.
If there is no entry for @var{key} in @var{hash-table}, @var{default} is
returned (which in turn defaults to @code{nil}).
@end defun

@defun remhash key hash-table
This function removes the entry for @var{key} from @var{hash-table}.
Does nothing if there is no entry for @var{key} in @var{hash-table}.
@end defun

@defun clrhash hash-table
This function removes all entries from @var{hash-table}, leaving it empty.
@end defun

@defun maphash function hash-table
This function maps @var{function} over entries in @var{hash-table},
calling it with two args, each key and value in the hash table.

@var{function} may not modify @var{hash-table}, with the one exception
that @var{function} may remhash or puthash the entry currently being
processed by @var{function}.
@end defun

@node Weak Hash Tables
@section Weak Hash Tables
@cindex hash table, weak
@cindex weak hash table

A @dfn{weak hash table} is a special variety of hash table whose
elements do not count as GC referents.  For any key-value pair in such a
hash table, if either the key or value (or in some cases, if one
particular one of the two) has no references to it outside of weak hash
tables (and similar structures such as weak lists), the pair will be
removed from the table, and the key and value collected.  A non-weak
hash table (or any other pointer) would prevent the objects from being
collected.

Weak hash tables are useful for keeping track of information in a
non-obtrusive way, for example to implement caching.  If the cache
contains objects such as buffers, markers, image instances, etc. that
will eventually disappear and get garbage-collected, using a weak hash
table ensures that these objects are collected normally rather than
remaining around forever, long past their actual period of use.
(Otherwise, you'd have to explicitly map over the hash table every so
often and remove unnecessary elements.)

There are three types of weak hash tables:

@table @asis
@item fully weak hash tables
In these hash tables, a pair disappears if either the key or the value
is unreferenced outside of the table.
@item key-weak hash tables
In these hash tables, a pair disappears if the key is unreferenced outside
of the table, regardless of how the value is referenced.
@item value-weak hash tables
In these hash tables, a pair disappears if the value is unreferenced outside
of the table, regardless of how the key is referenced.
@end table

Also see @ref{Weak Lists}.

Weak hash tables are created by specifying the @code{:type} keyword to
@code{make-hash-table}.