Re: [Vala] Array of structs OR Array of classes

[JM <interflug1 gmx net>]

Hi Jan
Thanks for reply! 
This raises a few more questions for me:
> > Would there be an advantage/disadvantage for me to use classes instead
> > of structs? I need no additional features of these classes. 
>
> Depends on the size of the structures and number of reallocations (due to
> extending the array). If the structure is small (yours seems to be), the copy
> will be faster than the allocation, so structures will be better. If they get
> bigger, the copy time will start to grow and classes start to be better.
My structs look like this:
public struct MyData { 
    public string A;
    public string B;
    public string C;
    public string D;
    public uint E;
    public uint F;
    public int G = 0;
    public string H;
    public string I;
}
Is this a small structure in your understanding? 
The reallocations are coming only from extending the array when I append
new MyData structures. I'm using arrays with typically between 20 and
500 members. 

So basically, this a comparison of the copy time when passing on the
array and the allocation time for the classes when creating the array,
right?

> The array also uses up to twice the memory you need, because it's allocated
> in powers of two. 
Why do arrays use twice the memory I need?


If I use the compact classes as a replacement for the structs, do I have
to set each array member and the array itself to null after usage. Or is
there some kind of memory management for these kind of classes? Or
better use classes that are not compact but do not inherit from
GLib.Object? 

Regards
Jörn