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annotate doc/lispref/hash.texi @ 98383:fb8c41cd17c4
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author | Martin Rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at> |
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date | Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:43:50 +0000 |
parents | 107ccd98fa12 |
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rev | line source |
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84072 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, | |
87649 | 4 @c 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
84072 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
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(setfilename): Go up one more level to ../../info.
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
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84072
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6 @setfilename ../../info/hash |
84072 | 7 @node Hash Tables, Symbols, Sequences Arrays Vectors, Top |
8 @chapter Hash Tables | |
9 @cindex hash tables | |
10 @cindex lookup tables | |
11 | |
12 A hash table is a very fast kind of lookup table, somewhat like an | |
13 alist (@pxref{Association Lists}) in that it maps keys to | |
14 corresponding values. It differs from an alist in these ways: | |
15 | |
16 @itemize @bullet | |
17 @item | |
18 Lookup in a hash table is extremely fast for large tables---in fact, the | |
19 time required is essentially @emph{independent} of how many elements are | |
20 stored in the table. For smaller tables (a few tens of elements) | |
21 alists may still be faster because hash tables have a more-or-less | |
22 constant overhead. | |
23 | |
24 @item | |
25 The correspondences in a hash table are in no particular order. | |
26 | |
27 @item | |
28 There is no way to share structure between two hash tables, | |
29 the way two alists can share a common tail. | |
30 @end itemize | |
31 | |
32 Emacs Lisp provides a general-purpose hash table data type, along | |
33 with a series of functions for operating on them. Hash tables have no | |
34 read syntax, and print in hash notation, like this: | |
35 | |
36 @example | |
37 (make-hash-table) | |
38 @result{} #<hash-table 'eql nil 0/65 0x83af980> | |
39 @end example | |
40 | |
41 @noindent | |
42 (The term ``hash notation'' refers to the initial @samp{#} | |
43 character---@pxref{Printed Representation}---and has nothing to do with | |
44 the term ``hash table.'') | |
45 | |
46 Obarrays are also a kind of hash table, but they are a different type | |
47 of object and are used only for recording interned symbols | |
48 (@pxref{Creating Symbols}). | |
49 | |
50 @menu | |
51 * Creating Hash:: Functions to create hash tables. | |
52 * Hash Access:: Reading and writing the hash table contents. | |
53 * Defining Hash:: Defining new comparison methods | |
54 * Other Hash:: Miscellaneous. | |
55 @end menu | |
56 | |
57 @node Creating Hash | |
58 @section Creating Hash Tables | |
59 @cindex creating hash tables | |
60 | |
61 The principal function for creating a hash table is | |
62 @code{make-hash-table}. | |
63 | |
64 @defun make-hash-table &rest keyword-args | |
65 This function creates a new hash table according to the specified | |
66 arguments. The arguments should consist of alternating keywords | |
67 (particular symbols recognized specially) and values corresponding to | |
68 them. | |
69 | |
70 Several keywords make sense in @code{make-hash-table}, but the only two | |
71 that you really need to know about are @code{:test} and @code{:weakness}. | |
72 | |
73 @table @code | |
74 @item :test @var{test} | |
75 This specifies the method of key lookup for this hash table. The | |
76 default is @code{eql}; @code{eq} and @code{equal} are other | |
77 alternatives: | |
78 | |
79 @table @code | |
80 @item eql | |
81 Keys which are numbers are ``the same'' if they are @code{equal}, that | |
82 is, if they are equal in value and either both are integers or both | |
83 are floating point numbers; otherwise, two distinct objects are never | |
84 ``the same.'' | |
85 | |
86 @item eq | |
87 Any two distinct Lisp objects are ``different'' as keys. | |
88 | |
89 @item equal | |
90 Two Lisp objects are ``the same,'' as keys, if they are equal | |
91 according to @code{equal}. | |
92 @end table | |
93 | |
94 You can use @code{define-hash-table-test} (@pxref{Defining Hash}) to | |
95 define additional possibilities for @var{test}. | |
96 | |
97 @item :weakness @var{weak} | |
98 The weakness of a hash table specifies whether the presence of a key or | |
99 value in the hash table preserves it from garbage collection. | |
100 | |
101 The value, @var{weak}, must be one of @code{nil}, @code{key}, | |
102 @code{value}, @code{key-or-value}, @code{key-and-value}, or @code{t} | |
103 which is an alias for @code{key-and-value}. If @var{weak} is @code{key} | |
104 then the hash table does not prevent its keys from being collected as | |
105 garbage (if they are not referenced anywhere else); if a particular key | |
106 does get collected, the corresponding association is removed from the | |
107 hash table. | |
108 | |
109 If @var{weak} is @code{value}, then the hash table does not prevent | |
110 values from being collected as garbage (if they are not referenced | |
111 anywhere else); if a particular value does get collected, the | |
112 corresponding association is removed from the hash table. | |
113 | |
114 If @var{weak} is @code{key-and-value} or @code{t}, both the key and | |
115 the value must be live in order to preserve the association. Thus, | |
116 the hash table does not protect either keys or values from garbage | |
117 collection; if either one is collected as garbage, that removes the | |
118 association. | |
119 | |
120 If @var{weak} is @code{key-or-value}, either the key or | |
121 the value can preserve the association. Thus, associations are | |
122 removed from the hash table when both their key and value would be | |
123 collected as garbage (if not for references from weak hash tables). | |
124 | |
125 The default for @var{weak} is @code{nil}, so that all keys and values | |
126 referenced in the hash table are preserved from garbage collection. | |
127 | |
128 @item :size @var{size} | |
129 This specifies a hint for how many associations you plan to store in the | |
130 hash table. If you know the approximate number, you can make things a | |
131 little more efficient by specifying it this way. If you specify too | |
132 small a size, the hash table will grow automatically when necessary, but | |
133 doing that takes some extra time. | |
134 | |
135 The default size is 65. | |
136 | |
137 @item :rehash-size @var{rehash-size} | |
138 When you add an association to a hash table and the table is ``full,'' | |
139 it grows automatically. This value specifies how to make the hash table | |
140 larger, at that time. | |
141 | |
142 If @var{rehash-size} is an integer, it should be positive, and the hash | |
143 table grows by adding that much to the nominal size. If | |
144 @var{rehash-size} is a floating point number, it had better be greater | |
145 than 1, and the hash table grows by multiplying the old size by that | |
146 number. | |
147 | |
148 The default value is 1.5. | |
149 | |
150 @item :rehash-threshold @var{threshold} | |
151 This specifies the criterion for when the hash table is ``full'' (so | |
152 it should be made larger). The value, @var{threshold}, should be a | |
153 positive floating point number, no greater than 1. The hash table is | |
154 ``full'' whenever the actual number of entries exceeds this fraction | |
155 of the nominal size. The default for @var{threshold} is 0.8. | |
156 @end table | |
157 @end defun | |
158 | |
159 @defun makehash &optional test | |
160 This is equivalent to @code{make-hash-table}, but with a different style | |
161 argument list. The argument @var{test} specifies the method | |
162 of key lookup. | |
163 | |
164 This function is obsolete. Use @code{make-hash-table} instead. | |
165 @end defun | |
166 | |
167 @node Hash Access | |
168 @section Hash Table Access | |
169 | |
170 This section describes the functions for accessing and storing | |
171 associations in a hash table. In general, any Lisp object can be used | |
172 as a hash key, unless the comparison method imposes limits. Any Lisp | |
173 object can also be used as the value. | |
174 | |
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 @defun puthash key value table | |
182 This function enters an association for @var{key} in @var{table}, with | |
183 value @var{value}. If @var{key} already has an association in | |
184 @var{table}, @var{value} replaces the old associated value. | |
185 @end defun | |
186 | |
187 @defun remhash key table | |
188 This function removes the association for @var{key} from @var{table}, if | |
189 there is one. If @var{key} has no association, @code{remhash} does | |
190 nothing. | |
191 | |
192 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, @code{remhash} returns | |
193 non-@code{nil} if it actually removed an association and @code{nil} | |
194 otherwise. In Emacs Lisp, @code{remhash} always returns @code{nil}. | |
195 @end defun | |
196 | |
197 @defun clrhash table | |
198 This function removes all the associations from hash table @var{table}, | |
199 so that it becomes empty. This is also called @dfn{clearing} the hash | |
200 table. | |
201 | |
202 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, @code{clrhash} returns the empty | |
203 @var{table}. In Emacs Lisp, it returns @code{nil}. | |
204 @end defun | |
205 | |
206 @defun maphash function table | |
207 @anchor{Definition of maphash} | |
208 This function calls @var{function} once for each of the associations in | |
209 @var{table}. The function @var{function} should accept two | |
210 arguments---a @var{key} listed in @var{table}, and its associated | |
211 @var{value}. @code{maphash} returns @code{nil}. | |
212 @end defun | |
213 | |
214 @node Defining Hash | |
215 @section Defining Hash Comparisons | |
216 @cindex hash code | |
217 @cindex define hash comparisons | |
218 | |
219 You can define new methods of key lookup by means of | |
220 @code{define-hash-table-test}. In order to use this feature, you need | |
221 to understand how hash tables work, and what a @dfn{hash code} means. | |
222 | |
223 You can think of a hash table conceptually as a large array of many | |
224 slots, each capable of holding one association. To look up a key, | |
225 @code{gethash} first computes an integer, the hash code, from the key. | |
226 It reduces this integer modulo the length of the array, to produce an | |
227 index in the array. Then it looks in that slot, and if necessary in | |
228 other nearby slots, to see if it has found the key being sought. | |
229 | |
230 Thus, to define a new method of key lookup, you need to specify both a | |
231 function to compute the hash code from a key, and a function to compare | |
232 two keys directly. | |
233 | |
234 @defun define-hash-table-test name test-fn hash-fn | |
235 This function defines a new hash table test, named @var{name}. | |
236 | |
237 After defining @var{name} in this way, you can use it as the @var{test} | |
238 argument in @code{make-hash-table}. When you do that, the hash table | |
239 will use @var{test-fn} to compare key values, and @var{hash-fn} to compute | |
240 a ``hash code'' from a key value. | |
241 | |
242 The function @var{test-fn} should accept two arguments, two keys, and | |
243 return non-@code{nil} if they are considered ``the same.'' | |
244 | |
245 The function @var{hash-fn} should accept one argument, a key, and return | |
246 an integer that is the ``hash code'' of that key. For good results, the | |
247 function should use the whole range of integer values for hash codes, | |
248 including negative integers. | |
249 | |
250 The specified functions are stored in the property list of @var{name} | |
251 under the property @code{hash-table-test}; the property value's form is | |
252 @code{(@var{test-fn} @var{hash-fn})}. | |
253 @end defun | |
254 | |
255 @defun sxhash obj | |
256 This function returns a hash code for Lisp object @var{obj}. | |
257 This is an integer which reflects the contents of @var{obj} | |
258 and the other Lisp objects it points to. | |
259 | |
260 If two objects @var{obj1} and @var{obj2} are equal, then @code{(sxhash | |
261 @var{obj1})} and @code{(sxhash @var{obj2})} are the same integer. | |
262 | |
263 If the two objects are not equal, the values returned by @code{sxhash} | |
264 are usually different, but not always; once in a rare while, by luck, | |
265 you will encounter two distinct-looking objects that give the same | |
266 result from @code{sxhash}. | |
267 @end defun | |
268 | |
269 This example creates a hash table whose keys are strings that are | |
270 compared case-insensitively. | |
271 | |
272 @example | |
273 (defun case-fold-string= (a b) | |
274 (compare-strings a nil nil b nil nil t)) | |
275 (defun case-fold-string-hash (a) | |
276 (sxhash (upcase a))) | |
277 | |
278 (define-hash-table-test 'case-fold | |
279 'case-fold-string= 'case-fold-string-hash) | |
280 | |
281 (make-hash-table :test 'case-fold) | |
282 @end example | |
283 | |
284 Here is how you could define a hash table test equivalent to the | |
285 predefined test value @code{equal}. The keys can be any Lisp object, | |
286 and equal-looking objects are considered the same key. | |
287 | |
288 @example | |
289 (define-hash-table-test 'contents-hash 'equal 'sxhash) | |
290 | |
291 (make-hash-table :test 'contents-hash) | |
292 @end example | |
293 | |
294 @node Other Hash | |
295 @section Other Hash Table Functions | |
296 | |
297 Here are some other functions for working with hash tables. | |
298 | |
299 @defun hash-table-p table | |
300 This returns non-@code{nil} if @var{table} is a hash table object. | |
301 @end defun | |
302 | |
303 @defun copy-hash-table table | |
304 This function creates and returns a copy of @var{table}. Only the table | |
305 itself is copied---the keys and values are shared. | |
306 @end defun | |
307 | |
308 @defun hash-table-count table | |
309 This function returns the actual number of entries in @var{table}. | |
310 @end defun | |
311 | |
312 @defun hash-table-test table | |
313 This returns the @var{test} value that was given when @var{table} was | |
314 created, to specify how to hash and compare keys. See | |
315 @code{make-hash-table} (@pxref{Creating Hash}). | |
316 @end defun | |
317 | |
318 @defun hash-table-weakness table | |
319 This function returns the @var{weak} value that was specified for hash | |
320 table @var{table}. | |
321 @end defun | |
322 | |
323 @defun hash-table-rehash-size table | |
324 This returns the rehash size of @var{table}. | |
325 @end defun | |
326 | |
327 @defun hash-table-rehash-threshold table | |
328 This returns the rehash threshold of @var{table}. | |
329 @end defun | |
330 | |
331 @defun hash-table-size table | |
332 This returns the current nominal size of @var{table}. | |
333 @end defun | |
334 | |
335 @ignore | |
336 arch-tag: 3b5107f9-d2f0-47d5-ad61-3498496bea0e | |
337 @end ignore |