There's thems that talk, and thems that do :)

Speaking of which...

I am looking at my code in Re^6: Travelling problem (Anyone better 86850?) and I am wondering whether it is simple to make it multi-threaded. In the definition of sub path_recursive there is a call to path_recursive. Would it be possible to kick a new thread of for each of these, if the maximal number of threads is not yet encountered and execute it directly if we are at the maximum already?

All the threads need to share the global variable $glength which stores the length of the best path so far.

I have no experience with threads in Perl yet, so if there is a simple modification of my script, I would be grateful for hints...

Update: this is what I am trying and it seems faster:

use strict;
use warnings;
use threads;
use threads::shared;
use List::Util qw( sum min );

my $glength :shared;

my @dist = <DATA>;
$_ = [ split /\s+/ ] and shift @$_ for @dist;
$glength = 0.5 * sum map { sum @$_ } @dist;

sub path_recursive {
  my( $bound, $len, $path, $end, $tbv, $dist, $in_a_thread ) = @_;

  if( !@$tbv ) {
    $len += $dist->[ $path->[-1] ]->[$end];
    if( $len < $glength ) {
      $glength = $len;
      print "$len: @$path $end ",scalar(localtime),"\n";
    }
    threads->exit() if $in_a_thread;
    return;
  }

  my $last = $dist->[ $path->[-1] ];
  my @sorted = sort { $last->[$a] <=> $last->[$b] } @$tbv;

  for (1..min($bound,@sorted)){
    my $next = shift @sorted;
    if( scalar( threads->list(threads::running) ) < 15 ) {
      threads->create( \&path_recursive, $bound, $len + $last->[$next]
+, [ @$path, $next ], $end, [ @sorted ], $dist, 1 );
    } else {
      path_recursive( $bound, $len + $last->[$next], [ @$path, $next ]
+, $end, [ @sorted ], $dist, 0 );
    }
    push @sorted, $next;
  }
}

path_recursive shift(), 0, [ 1 ], 24, [ 2..23 ], \@dist, 0;
sleep 10 while threads->list(threads::running);

__DATA__
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Read more... (7 kB)

Initial reaction (more later if life doesn't intercede:):

1. You have a 15-core system?
2. You are doing no locking on your shared variables?
3. What do you think that threads->exit does that return doesn't?
4. Isn't pushing a value to an array called @sorted violating the expectations of the reader, even if not those of the algorithm?
5. You neither threads::detach() nor threads::join() your threads.

   Have you run this code to completion yet?

6. Why past $end as a parameter, when it is never modified?

---

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

Well brain vs muscles?

Cheers Rolf

( addicted to the Perl Programming Language)

Still talking up a storm.

---

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.