Almost Daily Contest #3

[Prelude]

For Everyone

The task is very simple. Read a file of numbers and print the average. There are only two rules.

1) Run as fast as humanly possible.
2) Use C or C++ (inline assembly allowed)

Be sure to mention what compiler you use if you do anything nonportable. If I can't get your code to compile, it will be disqualified, so the more info I have on what worked for you the better.

Contest Ends: Sunday, August 17, 2003

[FillYourBrain]

does that mean we can use Windows API to accomplish it? It sounds like you're saying portability is not an issue on this one.

also, file of numbers of what format. 32 bit integer? ASCII?

[XSquared]

How is the file formatted?

[confuted]

How much precision do we need in the average? How many significant decimal places, if you're requiring something other than what an int, float or double can return?

[Speedy5]

Seems easy when we get the file format and specific specs. lol

[Karshikinpa]

just taking a wild guess here, but I bet they can be of any size (as in you are to use the program from the previous contest).

since i just found out about these that kinda bothers me because now I would need to go back and write the program for the contest in order to do well in this one. fortunately it won't be too much to do since I only need addition and division for now.

[vasanth]

hmm... dosent this feel like a contest just for the sake of a contest... no hard feelings here..

[Magos]

Ok, can someone give a quick lesson in assembly file handling

[Prelude]

>It sounds like you're saying portability is not an issue on this one.
Portability is not an issue. Provided I can manage to get your entry compiled and running on one of my systems, all is well. Elegance is also ignored. You can write the ugliest program that uses undefined behavior to get what you want and win if it's the fastest.

>How is the file formatted?
Just a list of numbers separated by whitespace.

>How much precision do we need in the average. A 32 bit variable should be able to handle it. I'll be treating the numbers as int though, so there will be no signifigant decimal places.

>Seems easy when we get the file format and specific specs. lol
If you go with an obvious (read as "slow") solution.

>doesnt this feel like a contest just for the sake of a contest...
Just keeping things interesting by thowing in a wildcard here and there.

[FillYourBrain]

ascii integers separated by spaces then. ok.

[FillYourBrain]

can we have a sample test file?

[Prelude]

>can we have a sample test file?
You can make one using the same program I used. I can't post the actual file because it's too large:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(void)
{
    FILE *out;
    int   i;

    out = fopen("numbers.txt", "w");

    if (out == NULL) {
        perror("fopen");
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    for (i = 0; i < 1000000; i++)
        fprintf(out, "%d ", rand() % 50 + 1);

    if (fclose(out) != 0) {
        perror("fclose");
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

The numbers really don't matter as long as the total is less than INT_MAX with no overflow.

[Thantos]

My program:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

int main (void)
{
printf("25");
getche();
}

100% accurate since you never seeded your rand() for then number file.

[Prelude]

>100% accurate since you never seeded your rand() for then number file.

Read a file of numbers and print the average.

I do require that you actually read the file. But nice try.

[ygfperson]

Originally posted by Thantos
My program:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

int main (void)
{
printf("25");
getche();
}

100% accurate since you never seeded your rand() for then number file.

But the numbers don't need to be random. They're just a bunch of numbers to test with.

//edit: oic, nm