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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/gawk.texi')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/gawk.texi | 22 |
1 files changed, 12 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/doc/gawk.texi b/doc/gawk.texi index 3f2afed3..e7d979d9 100644 --- a/doc/gawk.texi +++ b/doc/gawk.texi @@ -1300,7 +1300,7 @@ October 2014 <affiliation><jobtitle>Nof Ayalon</jobtitle></affiliation> <affiliation><jobtitle>Israel</jobtitle></affiliation> </author> - <date>December 2014</date> + <date>February 2015</date> </prefaceinfo> @end docbook @@ -2284,14 +2284,14 @@ which they raised and educated me. Finally, I also must acknowledge my gratitude to G-d, for the many opportunities He has sent my way, as well as for the gifts He has given me with which to take advantage of those opportunities. -@iftex +@ifnotdocbook @sp 2 @noindent Arnold Robbins @* Nof Ayalon @* Israel @* -December 2014 -@end iftex +February 2015 +@end ifnotdocbook @ifnotinfo @part @value{PART1}The @command{awk} Language @@ -31589,7 +31589,7 @@ indicates what is in the @code{union}. Representing numbers is easy---the API uses a C @code{double}. Strings require more work. Because @command{gawk} allows embedded @sc{nul} bytes in string values, a string must be represented as a pair containing a -data-pointer and length. This is the @code{awk_string_t} type. +data pointer and length. This is the @code{awk_string_t} type. Identifiers (i.e., the names of global variables) can be associated with either scalar values or with arrays. In addition, @command{gawk} @@ -31602,12 +31602,12 @@ of the @code{union} as if they were fields in a @code{struct}; this is a common coding practice in C. Such code is easier to write and to read, but it remains @emph{your} responsibility to make sure that the @code{val_type} member correctly reflects the type of the value in -the @code{awk_value_t}. +the @code{awk_value_t} struct. Conceptually, the first three members of the @code{union} (number, string, and array) are all that is needed for working with @command{awk} values. However, because the API provides routines for accessing and changing -the value of global scalar variables only by using the variable's name, +the value of a global scalar variable only by using the variable's name, there is a performance penalty: @command{gawk} must find the variable each time it is accessed and changed. This turns out to be a real issue, not just a theoretical one. @@ -31625,7 +31625,9 @@ See also the entry for ``Cookie'' in the @ref{Glossary}. object for that variable, and then use the cookie for getting the variable's value or for changing the variable's value. -This is the @code{awk_scalar_t} type and @code{scalar_cookie} macro. +The @code{awk_scalar_t} type holds a scalar cookie, and the +@code{scalar_cookie} macro provides access to the value of that type +in the @code{awk_value_t} struct. Given a scalar cookie, @command{gawk} can directly retrieve or modify the value, as required, without having to find it first. @@ -31634,8 +31636,8 @@ If you know that you wish to use the same numeric or string @emph{value} for one or more variables, you can create the value once, retaining a @dfn{value cookie} for it, and then pass in that value cookie whenever you wish to set the value of a -variable. This saves both storage space within the running @command{gawk} -process as well as the time needed to create the value. +variable. This both storage space within the running @command{gawk} +process and reduces the time needed to create the value. @node Memory Allocation Functions @subsection Memory Allocation Functions and Convenience Macros |