Script optimization

Since version 0.9.A.0 script optimization is available in jasshelper, it is currently enabled by default, in order to disable optimization you can either enable debug mode or use the --nooptimize argument (jasshelper.exe), newgen should get a menu entry for toggling this option added soon.

At the moment the only available optimization is function inlining. More methods shall be added later including some improved versions of some of wc3mapoptimizer's options.

Function inlining

Function inlining will look for function calls that can be inlined and then just convert their calls to a direct usage of the function's contents. In order not to break the normal execution of the map, this is done only in few cases. An example of inlining follows.

function MyFunction takes integer a, integer b returns integer
    return myarray[a]*b
endfunction

function MyOtherFunction takes nothing returns integer
    return MyFunction(3,4)
endfunction

//becomes:

function MyOtherFunction takes nothing returns integer
    return myarray[3]*4
endfunction

Inlining is important because it will reduce the number of function calls and make certain parts of the map script faster, while at the same time it will allow you to write readable code.

How to make a function inlineable? The current algorithm basically follows these rules (which are subject to change to allow more functions to be considered inlineable in the future):

The function is a one-liner
If the function is called by call the function's contents must begin with set or call or be a return of a single function.
If the inlined function is an assigment (set) it should not assign one of its arguments.
Every argument must be evaluated once and only once by the function, in the same order as they appear in the arguments list.
If the function contains function calls, they should all be evaluated after the arguments UNLESS the function is marked as non-state changing, at the moment some very few native functions and also return bug exploiters are considered as non-state changing.

Last modified: 16 October 2024