New portion of improvements for Dual-Pivot Quicksort

Vladimir Iaroslavski iaroslavski at mail.ru
Wed May 19 10:39:57 UTC 2010


Dmytro,

Thank you for comments, I updated double method, did little bit
javadoc changes and replaced in char/short/byte methods
"fromIndex -> left", "toIndex-1 -> right", the code became
consistent with main sort method and more compact. Also I use
more usual "i--" and "i++" in for loops (instead of "--i", "++i.

To accent the difference between float/double and other types,
I put comment where it is important:

/*
  * In spite of a[great] == pivot1, the assignment
  * a[less++] = pivot1 may be incorrect, if a[great]
  * and pivot1 are floating-point zeros of different
  * signs, therefore in float/double methods we have
  * to use more accurate assignment a[k] = a[great].
  */
a[less++] = pivot1;

and for double/float:

/*
   .....
  */
a[k] = a[great];

See updated version in attachment.

Thank you,
Vladimir

Dmytro Sheyko wrote:
> Vladimir,
> 
> I can see that you changed sortNegZeroAndNaN(float[]...) but probably 
> forgot to change sortNegZeroAndNaN(double[]...).
> 
> You really puzzled me with failed testcase and note that sorting 
> algorithm (without special attention to zeros) generally may change 
> number of negative zeros.
> I will provide my comments later.
> 
> As for counting sort, I think we should use single format style over the 
> file (unless we have valuable reason not to do this). I mean to choose
> 1)
>         if (toIndex - fromIndex > 
> COUNTING_SORT_THRESHOLD_FOR_SHORT_OR_CHAR) {
>             countingSort(a, fromIndex, toIndex);
>             return;
>         }
>         sort(a, fromIndex, toIndex - 1, true);
> 2)
>         if (toIndex - fromIndex > 
> COUNTING_SORT_THRESHOLD_FOR_SHORT_OR_CHAR) {
>             countingSort(a, fromIndex, toIndex);
>         } else {
>             sort(a, fromIndex, toIndex - 1, true);
>         }
> I prefer the second one.
> 
> Thanks a lot,
> Dmytro Sheyko
> 
>  > Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 18:57:50 +0400
>  > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > Subject: Re: New portion of improvements for Dual-Pivot Quicksort
>  > To: dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com
>  > CC: core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net
>  >
>  > Hello,
>  >
>  > I've run your modification for counting sort, it real faster.
>  > I attached new version with your changes (I did little bit
>  > format it) and included my case with float/double.
>  >
>  > Note that you modification doesn't pass test from Sorting class,
>  > which I sent earlier. It fails on float/double test:
>  >
>  > Test #3: random = 666, len = 34, a = 0, g = 6, z = 9, n = 10, p = 9
>  >
>  > I suggest shorter method (which is based on your idea to skip counting
>  > negative zeros on Phase 1.): I found find first zero index (or it will
>  > be index of first positive element if no zeros at all, or last negative,
>  > if no positive and zero elements) and then swap negative zero to the
>  > beginning of the sub-range.
>  >
>  > int hi = right;
>  >
>  > while (left < hi) {
>  > int middle = (left + hi) >>> 1;
>  > float middleValue = a[middle];
>  >
>  > if (middleValue < 0.0f) {
>  > left = middle + 1;
>  > } else {
>  > hi = middle;
>  > }
>  > }
>  >
>  > for (int k = left, p = left; k <= right; k++) {
>  > float ak = a[k];
>  > if (ak != 0.0f) {
>  > return;
>  > }
>  > if (Float.floatToRawIntBits(ak) < 0) { // ak is -0.0f
>  > a[k] = +0.0f;
>  > a[p++] = -0.0f;
>  > }
>  > }
>  >
>  > Important note: in partitioning loop there are several places
>  > (marked by // !) where potential bug with -0.0 could be
>  > (when pivot and a[great] are zeros with different signs):
>  >
>  > if (a[great] == pivot1) {
>  > a[k] = a[less];
>  > - a[less++] = pivot1; // !
>  > + a[less++] = a[great];
>  > } else { // pivot1 < a[great] < pivot2
>  > a[k] = a[great];
>  > }
>  > - a[great--] = pivot2; // !
>  > + a[great--] = ak;
>  > } else if (ak == pivot1) { // Move a[k] to left part
>  > a[k] = a[less];
>  > - a[less++] = pivot1; // !
>  > + a[less++] = ak;
>  > }
>  >
>  > and the same in "Pivots are equal" branch.
>  >
>  > I did changes "pivot1/2 -> ak" in methods for all types
>  > and "pivot1 -> a[great]" in float/double sections only.
>  >
>  > Please, review format changes for counting sort and new version
>  > of Phase 3 for float/double.
>  >
>  > Thank you,
>  > Vladimir
>  >
>  > Dmytro Sheyko wrote:
>  > > Hi,
>  > >
>  > > About counting sort again.
>  > >
>  > > 1. This condition "i < count.length && k <= right" is excessive. 
> Any one
>  > > conjunct is enough. "k <= right" seems better.
>  > > 2. No need to calculate "short value = (short) (i + Short.MIN_VALUE)"
>  > > when "count[i]" is zero.
>  > > 3. For signed primitives (byte and short) we would better loop 
> backward.
>  > > Thanks to "k >= fromIndex" condition we will quit looping earlier
>  > > assuming that typically we work with positive numbers.
>  > > For unsigned primitives (char) we would better loop forward because
>  > > typically we work with characters about zero (ASCII).
>  > >
>  > > - for (int i = 0, k = left; i < count.length && k <= right; i++) {
>  > > - short value = (short) (i + Short.MIN_VALUE);
>  > > - for (int s = count[i]; s > 0; s--) {
>  > > - a[k++] = value;
>  > > - }
>  > > - }
>  > >
>  > > + for (int i = NUM_SHORT_VALUES - 1, k = toIndex - 1; k >=
>  > > fromIndex; --i) {
>  > > + while (count[i] == 0) --i;
>  > > + short value = (short) (i + Short.MIN_VALUE);
>  > > + int s = count[i];
>  > > + do { a[k--] = value; } while (--s > 0);
>  > > + }
>  > >
>  > > Thanks,
>  > > Dmytro Sheyko
>  > >
>  > > > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > To: dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com
>  > > > CC: core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net; iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > Subject: Re[2]: New portion of improvements for Dual-Pivot Quicksort
>  > > > Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 01:11:19 +0400
>  > > >
>  > > > Sounds good!
>  > > > Will consider too...
>  > > >
>  > > > Mon, 17 May 2010 22:24:11 +0700 письмо от Dmytro Sheyko
>  > > <dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com>:
>  > > >
>  > > > > Hi,
>  > > > >
>  > > > > Regarding counting sort. We can check whether we should switch to
>  > > counting sort only once in the beginning.
>  > > > >
>  > > > > > Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 17:30:37 +0400
>  > > > > > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > Subject: Re: New portion of improvements for Dual-Pivot Quicksort
>  > > > > > To: dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com
>  > > > > > CC: core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > Hello,
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > Thank you for review, I'll check and run tests again with you
>  > > changes.
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > Thank you,
>  > > > > > Vladimir
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > Dmytro Sheyko wrote:
>  > > > > > > Hello,
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > More ideas.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > 1. We can use
>  > > > > > > Double.doubleToRawLongBits instead of 
> Double.doubleToLongBits and
>  > > > > > > Float.floatToRawIntBits instead of Float.floatToIntBits.
>  > > > > > > No need to handle NaN's because they all are placed to the end
>  > > of array.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > 2. Note that
>  > > > > > > Double.doubleToRawLongBits(+0.0) == 0L and
>  > > > > > > Double.doubleToRawLongBits(-0.0) == Long.MIN_VALUE and
>  > > > > > > Float.floatToRawIntBits(+0.0) == 0 and
>  > > > > > > Float.floatToRawIntBits(-0.0) == Integer.MIN_VALUE.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > Comparing with is zero usually more efficient (or at least not
>  > > worse)
>  > > > > > > than with other values. Thus such pattern
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > if (ak == 0.0f && NEGATIVE_ZERO == Float.floatToIntBits(ak))
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > can be replaced with
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > if (ak == 0.0f && Float.floatToIntBits(ak) < 0)
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > 3. It would be more efficient to count negative zeros after
>  > > sorting.
>  > > > > > > General sorting algorithm puts both negative and positive 
> zeros
>  > > together
>  > > > > > > (but maybe not in right order).
>  > > > > > > Therefore we have to process less elements because usually we
>  > > have less
>  > > > > > > zeros than other numbers.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > Thanks,
>  > > > > > > Dmytro Sheyko
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > To: dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com; jjb at google.com
>  > > > > > > > CC: core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net; iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > Subject: Re[6]: New portion of improvements for Dual-Pivot
>  > > Quicksort
>  > > > > > > > Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 23:54:06 +0400
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > Hello,
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > I've updated the class, please, review the changes.
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > Vladimir
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > Fri, 14 May 2010 01:48:11 +0700 письмо от Dmytro Sheyko
>  > > > > > > <dmytro_sheyko at hotmail..com>:
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > Yes. I prefer F (Find First zero using binary search) over
>  > > C (Count
>  > > > > > > negatives) and S (Smart Scan for zero).
>  > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > > > To: dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com
>  > > > > > > > > > CC: jjb at google.com; core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net;
>  > > > > > > iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > > > Subject: Re[4]: New portion of improvements for
>  > > Dual-Pivot Quicksort
>  > > > > > > > > > Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 21:34:54 +0400
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > Dmytro,
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > I've tested your suggested variants, and found that 
> case "C"
>  > > > > > > > > > (very interesting approach to find first position of zero
>  > > > > > > > > > by counting negative elements) works slower than original
>  > > > > > > > > > or two other cases.
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > Implementations "F" and "S" are very close to each other
>  > > > > > > > > > and little bit faster than original. I prefer case "F":
>  > > > > > > > > > it is shorter and more clear. Do you agree?
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > I'll prepare updated DualPivotQuicksort file and send it
>  > > > > > > > > > tomorrow.
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > Thank you,
>  > > > > > > > > > Vladimir
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > Wed, 12 May 2010 17:04:52 +0700 письмо от Dmytro Sheyko
>  > > > > > > <dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com>:
>  > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > Vladimir,
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > Your changes are good for me.
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > Additionally I have some comments/proposals regarding
>  > > dealing
>  > > > > > > with negative zeros.
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > 1. Scanning for the first zero we can avoid range 
> check
>  > > (i >=
>  > > > > > > left) if we have at least one negative value.
>  > > > > > > > > > > --- DualPivotQuicksort.java Tue May 11 09:04:19 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > +++ DualPivotQuicksortS.java Wed May 12 12:10:46 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1705,10 +1705,15 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > // Find first zero element
>  > > > > > > > > > > - int zeroIndex = findAnyZero(a, left, n);
>  > > > > > > > > > > + int zeroIndex = 0;
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > - for (int i = zeroIndex - 1; i >= left && a[i] ==
>  > > 0.0f; i--) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > - zeroIndex = i;
>  > > > > > > > > > > + if (a[left] < 0.0f) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > + zeroIndex = findAnyZero(a, left, n);
>  > > > > > > > > > > +
>  > > > > > > > > > > + // there is at least one negative value, so range
>  > > check is
>  > > > > > > not needed
>  > > > > > > > > > > + for (int i = zeroIndex - 1; /*i >= left &&*/ a[i] ==
>  > > 0.0f; i--) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > + zeroIndex = i;
>  > > > > > > > > > > + }
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > // Turn the right number of positive zeros back into
>  > > negative zeros
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > 2. We can find the position of the first zero by 
> counting
>  > > > > > > negative values during preprocessing phase.
>  > > > > > > > > > > --- DualPivotQuicksort.java Tue May 11 09:04:19 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > +++ DualPivotQuicksortC.java Wed May 12 12:01:24 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1678,7 +1678,7 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > * Phase 1: Count negative zeros and move NaNs to 
> end of
>  > > array.
>  > > > > > > > > > > */
>  > > > > > > > > > > final int NEGATIVE_ZERO = Float.floatToIntBits(-0.0f);
>  > > > > > > > > > > - int numNegativeZeros = 0;
>  > > > > > > > > > > + int numNegativeZeros = 0, numNegativeValues = 0;
>  > > > > > > > > > > int n = right;
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > for (int k = left; k <= n; k++) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1689,6 +1689,8 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > } else if (ak != ak) { // i.e., ak is NaN
>  > > > > > > > > > > a[k--] = a[n];
>  > > > > > > > > > > a[n--] = Float.NaN;
>  > > > > > > > > > > + } else if (ak < 0.0f) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > + numNegativeValues++;
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1705,7 +1707,7 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > // Find first zero element
>  > > > > > > > > > > - int zeroIndex = findAnyZero(a, left, n);
>  > > > > > > > > > > + int zeroIndex = numNegativeValues;
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > for (int i = zeroIndex - 1; i >= left && a[i] == 0.0f;
>  > > i--) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > zeroIndex = i;
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > 3. We can use binary search to find the first zero and
>  > > thus
>  > > > > > > avoid linear scan.
>  > > > > > > > > > > --- DualPivotQuicksort.java Tue May 11 09:04:19 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > +++ DualPivotQuicksortF.java Wed May 12 12:03:58 2010
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1705,11 +1705,7 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > // Find first zero element
>  > > > > > > > > > > - int zeroIndex = findAnyZero(a, left, n);
>  > > > > > > > > > > -
>  > > > > > > > > > > - for (int i = zeroIndex - 1; i >= left && a[i] ==
>  > > 0.0f; i--) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > - zeroIndex = i;
>  > > > > > > > > > > - }
>  > > > > > > > > > > + int zeroIndex = findFirstZero(a, left, n);
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > // Turn the right number of positive zeros back into
>  > > negative zeros
>  > > > > > > > > > > for (int i = zeroIndex, m = zeroIndex +
>  > > numNegativeZeros; i <
>  > > > > > > m; i++) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1718,7 +1714,7 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > /**
>  > > > > > > > > > > - * Returns the index of some zero element in the
>  > > specified
>  > > > > > > range via
>  > > > > > > > > > > + * Returns the index of the first zero element in the
>  > > > > > > specified range via
>  > > > > > > > > > > * binary search. The range is assumed to be sorted, 
> and
>  > > must
>  > > > > > > contain
>  > > > > > > > > > > * at least one zero.
>  > > > > > > > > > > *
>  > > > > > > > > > > @@ -1726,18 +1722,17 @@
>  > > > > > > > > > > * @param low the index of the first element, 
> inclusive,
>  > > to be
>  > > > > > > searched
>  > > > > > > > > > > * @param high the index of the last element, 
> inclusive,
>  > > to be
>  > > > > > > searched
>  > > > > > > > > > > */
>  > > > > > > > > > > - private static int findAnyZero(float[] a, int low,
>  > > int high) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > - while (true) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > + private static int findFirstZero(float[] a, int low,
>  > > int high) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > + while (low < high) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > int middle = (low + high) >>> 1;
>  > > > > > > > > > > float middleValue = a[middle];
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > if (middleValue < 0.0f) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > low = middle + 1;
>  > > > > > > > > > > - } else if (middleValue > 0.0f) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > - high = middle - 1;
>  > > > > > > > > > > - } else { // middleValue == 0.0f
>  > > > > > > > > > > - return middle;
>  > > > > > > > > > > + } else { // middleValue >= 0.0f
>  > > > > > > > > > > + high = middle;
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > > + return low;
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > > }
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > Counting negative values appeared more expensive than
>  > > any other
>  > > > > > > variants.
>  > > > > > > > > > > The last proposal seems to me as efficient as the 
> current
>  > > > > > > solution is in its worst case - when we have only one negative
>  > > zero (in
>  > > > > > > the half of array).
>  > > > > > > > > > > And it shows the best result if we have many zeros.
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > Regards,
>  > > > > > > > > > > Dmytro Sheyko
>  > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > From: iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > > > > > To: jjb at google.com; dmytro_sheyko at hotmail.com
>  > > > > > > > > > > > CC: core-libs-dev at openjdk.java.net; 
> iaroslavski at mail.ru
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Subject: Re[2]: New portion of improvements for
>  > > Dual-Pivot
>  > > > > > > Quicksort
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 23:51:27 +0400
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Josh,
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Dmytro,
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > I have done more thoroughly testing "great - less 
>  > 5 *
>  > > > > > > seventh" vs. "less < e1 && great > e5",
>  > > > > > > > > > > > and found that more symmetric code "less < e1 &&
>  > > great > e5"
>  > > > > > > is little bit faster, ~0.5..0.7%
>  > > > > > > > > > > > on both VMs. Other code has not been changed.
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Please, take the latest version in attachment.
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Vladimir
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > Tue, 4 May 2010 21:57:42 -0700 письмо от Joshua Bloch
>  > > > > > > <jjb at google.com>:
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > > Vladimir,
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > > Old:
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >298 if (less < e1 && great > e5) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > > New:
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >256 if (great - less > 5 * seventh) {
>  > > > > > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >Regards,
>  > > > > > > > > > > > >Josh
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