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annotate lispref/hash.texi @ 62690:5f6567221e96
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author | Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@auburn.edu> |
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date | Wed, 25 May 2005 01:48:07 +0000 |
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25634 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1999, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25634 | 4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @setfilename ../info/hash | |
6 @node Hash Tables, Symbols, Sequences Arrays Vectors, Top | |
7 @chapter Hash Tables | |
8 @cindex hash tables | |
9 | |
10 A hash table is a very fast kind of lookup table, somewhat like | |
11 an alist in that it maps keys to corresponding values. It differs | |
12 from an alist in these ways: | |
13 | |
14 @itemize @bullet | |
15 @item | |
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16 Lookup in a hash table is extremely fast for large tables---in fact, the |
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17 time required is essentially @emph{independent} of how many elements are |
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18 stored in the table. For smaller tables (a few tens of elements) |
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19 alists may still be faster because hash tables have a more-or-less |
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20 constant overhead. |
25634 | 21 |
22 @item | |
23 The correspondences in a hash table are in no particular order. | |
24 | |
25 @item | |
26 There is no way to share structure between two hash tables, | |
27 the way two alists can share a common tail. | |
28 @end itemize | |
29 | |
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30 Emacs Lisp provides a general-purpose hash table data type, along |
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31 with a series of functions for operating on them. Hash tables have no |
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32 read syntax, and print in hash notation, like this: |
25634 | 33 |
34 @example | |
35 (make-hash-table) | |
36 @result{} #<hash-table 'eql nil 0/65 0x83af980> | |
37 @end example | |
38 | |
26303 | 39 @noindent |
40 (The term ``hash notation'' refers to the initial @samp{#} | |
41 character---@pxref{Printed Representation}---and has nothing to do with | |
42 the term ``hash table.'') | |
43 | |
25634 | 44 Obarrays are also a kind of hash table, but they are a different type |
45 of object and are used only for recording interned symbols | |
46 (@pxref{Creating Symbols}). | |
47 | |
48 @menu | |
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49 * Creating Hash:: Functions to create hash tables. |
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50 * Hash Access:: Reading and writing the hash table contents. |
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51 * Defining Hash:: Defining new comparison methods |
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52 * Other Hash:: Miscellaneous. |
25634 | 53 @end menu |
54 | |
55 @node Creating Hash | |
56 @section Creating Hash Tables | |
57 | |
58 The principal function for creating a hash table is | |
59 @code{make-hash-table}. | |
60 | |
61 @tindex make-hash-table | |
62 @defun make-hash-table &rest keyword-args | |
63 This function creates a new hash table according to the specified | |
64 arguments. The arguments should consist of alternating keywords | |
65 (particular symbols recognized specially) and values corresponding to | |
66 them. | |
67 | |
68 Several keywords make sense in @code{make-hash-table}, but the only two | |
26182 | 69 that you really need to know about are @code{:test} and @code{:weakness}. |
25634 | 70 |
71 @table @code | |
72 @item :test @var{test} | |
73 This specifies the method of key lookup for this hash table. The | |
74 default is @code{eql}; @code{eq} and @code{equal} are other | |
75 alternatives: | |
76 | |
77 @table @code | |
78 @item eql | |
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79 Keys which are numbers are ``the same'' if they are @code{equal}, that |
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80 is, if they are equal in value and either both are integers or both |
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81 are floating point numbers; otherwise, two distinct objects are never |
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82 ``the same''. |
25634 | 83 |
84 @item eq | |
85 Any two distinct Lisp objects are ``different'' as keys. | |
86 | |
87 @item equal | |
88 Two Lisp objects are ``the same'', as keys, if they are equal | |
89 according to @code{equal}. | |
90 @end table | |
91 | |
92 You can use @code{define-hash-table-test} (@pxref{Defining Hash}) to | |
93 define additional possibilities for @var{test}. | |
94 | |
95 @item :weakness @var{weak} | |
96 The weakness of a hash table specifies whether the presence of a key or | |
97 value in the hash table preserves it from garbage collection. | |
98 | |
99 The value, @var{weak}, must be one of @code{nil}, @code{key}, | |
30524 | 100 @code{value}, @code{key-or-value}, @code{key-and-value}, or @code{t} |
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101 which is an alias for @code{key-and-value}. If @var{weak} is @code{key} |
30524 | 102 then the hash table does not prevent its keys from being collected as |
103 garbage (if they are not referenced anywhere else); if a particular key | |
104 does get collected, the corresponding association is removed from the | |
105 hash table. | |
25634 | 106 |
30524 | 107 If @var{weak} is @code{value}, then the hash table does not prevent |
108 values from being collected as garbage (if they are not referenced | |
109 anywhere else); if a particular value does get collected, the | |
25634 | 110 corresponding association is removed from the hash table. |
111 | |
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112 If @var{weak} is @code{key-and-value} or @code{t}, both the key and |
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113 the value must be live in order to preserve the association. Thus, |
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114 the hash table does not protect either keys or values from garbage |
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115 collection; if either one is collected as garbage, that removes the |
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116 association. |
38786 | 117 |
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118 If @var{weak} is @code{key-or-value}, either the key or |
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119 the value can preserve the association. Thus, associations are |
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120 removed from the hash table when both their key and value would be |
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121 collected as garbage (if not for references from weak hash tables). |
30524 | 122 |
25634 | 123 The default for @var{weak} is @code{nil}, so that all keys and values |
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124 referenced in the hash table are preserved from garbage collection. |
25634 | 125 |
126 @item :size @var{size} | |
127 This specifies a hint for how many associations you plan to store in the | |
128 hash table. If you know the approximate number, you can make things a | |
26182 | 129 little more efficient by specifying it this way. If you specify too |
25634 | 130 small a size, the hash table will grow automatically when necessary, but |
26303 | 131 doing that takes some extra time. |
25634 | 132 |
133 The default size is 65. | |
134 | |
135 @item :rehash-size @var{rehash-size} | |
136 When you add an association to a hash table and the table is ``full,'' | |
137 it grows automatically. This value specifies how to make the hash table | |
138 larger, at that time. | |
139 | |
25875 | 140 If @var{rehash-size} is an integer, it should be positive, and the hash |
141 table grows by adding that much to the nominal size. If | |
142 @var{rehash-size} is a floating point number, it had better be greater | |
143 than 1, and the hash table grows by multiplying the old size by that | |
144 number. | |
25634 | 145 |
146 The default value is 1.5. | |
147 | |
148 @item :rehash-threshold @var{threshold} | |
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149 This specifies the criterion for when the hash table is ``full'' (so |
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150 it should be made larger). The value, @var{threshold}, should be a |
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151 positive floating point number, no greater than 1. The hash table is |
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152 ``full'' whenever the actual number of entries exceeds this fraction |
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153 of the nominal size. The default for @var{threshold} is 0.8. |
25634 | 154 @end table |
155 @end defun | |
156 | |
157 @tindex makehash | |
158 @defun makehash &optional test | |
159 This is equivalent to @code{make-hash-table}, but with a different style | |
160 argument list. The argument @var{test} specifies the method | |
161 of key lookup. | |
162 | |
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163 This function is obsolete. Use @code{make-hash-table} instead. |
25634 | 164 @end defun |
165 | |
166 @node Hash Access | |
167 @section Hash Table Access | |
168 | |
169 This section describes the functions for accessing and storing | |
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170 associations in a hash table. In general, any Lisp object can be used |
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171 as a hash key, unless the comparison method imposes limits. Any Lisp |
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172 object can also be used as the value. |
25634 | 173 |
174 @tindex gethash | |
175 @defun gethash key table &optional default | |
176 This function looks up @var{key} in @var{table}, and returns its | |
177 associated @var{value}---or @var{default}, if @var{key} has no | |
178 association in @var{table}. | |
179 @end defun | |
180 | |
181 @tindex puthash | |
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182 @defun puthash key value table |
25634 | 183 This function enters an association for @var{key} in @var{table}, with |
184 value @var{value}. If @var{key} already has an association in | |
185 @var{table}, @var{value} replaces the old associated value. | |
186 @end defun | |
187 | |
188 @tindex remhash | |
189 @defun remhash key table | |
190 This function removes the association for @var{key} from @var{table}, if | |
191 there is one. If @var{key} has no association, @code{remhash} does | |
192 nothing. | |
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193 |
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194 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, @code{remhash} returns |
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195 non-@code{nil} if it actually removed an association and @code{nil} |
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196 otherwise. In Emacs Lisp, @code{remhash} always returns @code{nil}. |
25634 | 197 @end defun |
198 | |
199 @tindex clrhash | |
200 @defun clrhash table | |
201 This function removes all the associations from hash table @var{table}, | |
202 so that it becomes empty. This is also called @dfn{clearing} the hash | |
203 table. | |
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204 |
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205 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, @code{clrhash} returns the empty |
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206 @var{table}. In Emacs Lisp, it returns @code{nil}. |
25634 | 207 @end defun |
208 | |
209 @tindex maphash | |
56215 | 210 @defun maphash function table |
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211 @anchor{Definition of maphash} |
25634 | 212 This function calls @var{function} once for each of the associations in |
213 @var{table}. The function @var{function} should accept two | |
214 arguments---a @var{key} listed in @var{table}, and its associated | |
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215 @var{value}. @code{maphash} returns @code{nil}. |
25634 | 216 @end defun |
217 | |
218 @node Defining Hash | |
219 @section Defining Hash Comparisons | |
220 @cindex hash code | |
221 | |
222 You can define new methods of key lookup by means of | |
223 @code{define-hash-table-test}. In order to use this feature, you need | |
224 to understand how hash tables work, and what a @dfn{hash code} means. | |
225 | |
226 You can think of a hash table conceptually as a large array of many | |
227 slots, each capable of holding one association. To look up a key, | |
228 @code{gethash} first computes an integer, the hash code, from the key. | |
229 It reduces this integer modulo the length of the array, to produce an | |
230 index in the array. Then it looks in that slot, and if necessary in | |
231 other nearby slots, to see if it has found the key being sought. | |
232 | |
233 Thus, to define a new method of key lookup, you need to specify both a | |
234 function to compute the hash code from a key, and a function to compare | |
235 two keys directly. | |
236 | |
237 @tindex define-hash-table-test | |
238 @defun define-hash-table-test name test-fn hash-fn | |
239 This function defines a new hash table test, named @var{name}. | |
240 | |
241 After defining @var{name} in this way, you can use it as the @var{test} | |
242 argument in @code{make-hash-table}. When you do that, the hash table | |
243 will use @var{test-fn} to compare key values, and @var{hash-fn} to compute | |
244 a ``hash code'' from a key value. | |
245 | |
246 The function @var{test-fn} should accept two arguments, two keys, and | |
247 return non-@code{nil} if they are considered ``the same.'' | |
248 | |
249 The function @var{hash-fn} should accept one argument, a key, and return | |
250 an integer that is the ``hash code'' of that key. For good results, the | |
251 function should use the whole range of integer values for hash codes, | |
252 including negative integers. | |
253 | |
254 The specified functions are stored in the property list of @var{name} | |
255 under the property @code{hash-table-test}; the property value's form is | |
256 @code{(@var{test-fn} @var{hash-fn})}. | |
257 @end defun | |
258 | |
259 @tindex sxhash | |
260 @defun sxhash obj | |
261 This function returns a hash code for Lisp object @var{obj}. | |
262 This is an integer which reflects the contents of @var{obj} | |
263 and the other Lisp objects it points to. | |
264 | |
265 If two objects @var{obj1} and @var{obj2} are equal, then @code{(sxhash | |
266 @var{obj1})} and @code{(sxhash @var{obj2})} are the same integer. | |
267 | |
268 If the two objects are not equal, the values returned by @code{sxhash} | |
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269 are usually different, but not always; once in a rare while, by luck, |
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270 you will encounter two distinct-looking objects that give the same |
25634 | 271 result from @code{sxhash}. |
272 @end defun | |
273 | |
38786 | 274 This example creates a hash table whose keys are strings that are |
275 compared case-insensitively. | |
276 | |
277 @example | |
278 (defun case-fold-string= (a b) | |
279 (compare-strings a nil nil b nil nil t)) | |
280 | |
281 (defun case-fold-string-hash (a) | |
282 (sxhash (upcase a))) | |
283 | |
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284 (define-hash-table-test 'case-fold 'case-fold-string= |
38786 | 285 'case-fold-string-hash)) |
286 | |
287 (make-hash-table :test 'case-fold) | |
288 @end example | |
289 | |
290 Here is how you could define a hash table test equivalent to the | |
291 predefined test value @code{equal}. The keys can be any Lisp object, | |
292 and equal-looking objects are considered the same key. | |
293 | |
294 @example | |
295 (define-hash-table-test 'contents-hash 'equal 'sxhash) | |
296 | |
297 (make-hash-table :test 'contents-hash) | |
298 @end example | |
299 | |
25634 | 300 @node Other Hash |
301 @section Other Hash Table Functions | |
302 | |
303 Here are some other functions for working with hash tables. | |
304 | |
305 @tindex hash-table-p | |
306 @defun hash-table-p table | |
307 This returns non-@code{nil} if @var{table} is a hash table object. | |
308 @end defun | |
309 | |
310 @tindex copy-hash-table | |
311 @defun copy-hash-table table | |
312 This function creates and returns a copy of @var{table}. Only the table | |
313 itself is copied---the keys and values are shared. | |
314 @end defun | |
315 | |
316 @tindex hash-table-count | |
317 @defun hash-table-count table | |
318 This function returns the actual number of entries in @var{table}. | |
319 @end defun | |
320 | |
26182 | 321 @tindex hash-table-test |
322 @defun hash-table-test table | |
25875 | 323 This returns the @var{test} value that was given when @var{table} was |
324 created, to specify how to hash and compare keys. See | |
25634 | 325 @code{make-hash-table} (@pxref{Creating Hash}). |
326 @end defun | |
327 | |
328 @tindex hash-table-weakness | |
329 @defun hash-table-weakness table | |
330 This function returns the @var{weak} value that was specified for hash | |
331 table @var{table}. | |
332 @end defun | |
333 | |
334 @tindex hash-table-rehash-size | |
335 @defun hash-table-rehash-size table | |
336 This returns the rehash size of @var{table}. | |
337 @end defun | |
338 | |
339 @tindex hash-table-rehash-threshold | |
340 @defun hash-table-rehash-threshold table | |
341 This returns the rehash threshold of @var{table}. | |
342 @end defun | |
343 | |
26182 | 344 @tindex hash-table-size |
345 @defun hash-table-size table | |
25634 | 346 This returns the current nominal size of @var{table}. |
347 @end defun | |
52401 | 348 |
349 @ignore | |
350 arch-tag: 3b5107f9-d2f0-47d5-ad61-3498496bea0e | |
351 @end ignore |