Info Catalog flex: Memory Management flex: Top flex: Diagnostics

flex: Serialized Tables

 
 22 Serialized Tables
 ********************
 
 A 'flex' scanner has the ability to save the DFA tables to a file, and
 load them at runtime when needed.  The motivation for this feature is to
 reduce the runtime memory footprint.  Traditionally, these tables have
 been compiled into the scanner as C arrays, and are sometimes quite
 large.  Since the tables are compiled into the scanner, the memory used
 by the tables can never be freed.  This is a waste of memory, especially
 if an application uses several scanners, but none of them at the same
 time.
 
    The serialization feature allows the tables to be loaded at runtime,
 before scanning begins.  The tables may be discarded when scanning is
 finished.
 

Menu

 
· Creating Serialized Tables
· Loading and Unloading Serialized Tables
· Tables File Format
 

Info Catalog flex: Memory Management flex: Top flex: Diagnostics