libppl(3) libppl overview libppl(3)
NAME
libppl - the C++ interface of the Parma Polyhedra Library
SYNOPSIS
#include <ppl.hh>
c++ file.cc -lppl
DESCRIPTION
This is a short overview on how to use the Parma Polyhedra Library
(PPL) in your C++ programs on Unix-like operating systems. Note that
the PPL has interfaces also for C, Java, OCaml and a number of Prolog
systems: look elsewhere for documentation on those. Note also that the
present document does not describe the library functionality, its
classes or its methods and functions: see The Parma Polyhedra Library
User's Manual (version 1.2) for this kind of information.
INCLUDING THE HEADER FILE
The C++ interface of the PPL has only one header file, named ppl.hh.
So your program should contain a directive of the form
#include <ppl.hh>
Of course, you must make sure you installed the PPL in a place where
the compiler can find it, either by itself or with the help of a suit-
able -Idir command line option (see the file INSTALL for information on
how to configure the library so that it is installed in the place of
your choice).
INITIALIZING AND FINALIZING THE LIBRARY
The mere inclusion of ppl.hh in at least one file of your project will
cause the automatic initialization and finalization of the library.
However, there are situations in which automatic initialization and fi-
nalization is not desirable (e.g., if the application fiddles with the
GMP's memory allocation functions). In those cases, every inclusion of
ppl.hh must take the form
#define PPL_NO_AUTOMATIC_INITIALIZATION
#include <ppl.hh>
When automatic initialization and finalization is disabled you must ab-
solutely call the function
void Parma_Polyhedra_Library::initialize()
before using the library. It is also a good norm to call the function
void Parma_Polyhedra_Library::finalize()
when you are done with the library.
USING THE LIBRARY
Keeping in mind that there is no substitute for a careful reading of
The Parma Polyhedra Library User's Manual (version 1.2), you can find
many examples of use in the directories tests (see the README file in
that directory) and demos/ppl_lcdd of the source distribution.
LINKING WITH THE LIBRARY
Linking with the C++ interface of the Parma Polyhedra Library is best
done using the C++ compiler itself: usually, specifying the -lppl com-
mand line option is enough. In fact, if you use a shared version of
the library, this automatically records the dependency from the GMP li-
brary, something that the linker ought to deal with gracefully. Other-
wise you will have to add -lgmpxx -lgmp to the command line. Things
are more complex if you installed the PPL into some nonstandard place.
In this case you will have to use the -Ldir option and, if you use a
shared version of the library, possible take further steps: see the
documentation of your system for more information on this subject (the
Program Library HOWTO is especially valuable for GNU/Linux users).
IMPLEMENTING MEMORY-GUARDED COMPUTATIONS
One of the interesting features of the Parma Polyhedra Library is the
possibility to implement memory-guarded computations. The idea is that
you can limit the amount of virtual memory available to the process,
launch a PPL computation, and be ready to catch an std::bad_alloc ex-
ception. Since the library is exception-safe, you can take the appro-
priate corrective measures (e.g., simplify the polyhedra and/or select
less precise though less complex algorithms), and restart the computa-
tion. In order to do that, you should define alternative memory allo-
cation functions for GMP that throw std::bad_alloc upon memory exhaus-
tion. For instance:
#include <new>
#include <cstdlib>
extern "C" void*
cxx_malloc(size_t size) {
void* p = malloc(size);
if (p != 0 || size == 0)
return p;
throw std::bad_alloc();
}
extern "C" void*
cxx_realloc(void* q, size_t, size_t new_size) {
void* p = realloc(q, new_size);
if (p != 0 || new_size == 0)
return p;
throw std::bad_alloc();
}
extern "C" void
cxx_free(void* p, size_t) {
free(p);
}
Then you must install these functions and this can be done in two dif-
ferent ways:
(1) If your C++ compiler supports __attribute__ ((weak)) and you do
not have any other special needs, then you can simply link to
your application a C function ppl_set_GMP_memory_alloca-
tion_functions(void) such as
extern "C" void
ppl_set_GMP_memory_allocation_functions(void) {
mp_set_memory_functions(cxx_malloc, cxx_realloc, cxx_free);
}
This is all that you have to do, whether or not you use the au-
tomatic initialization feature of the library (see above): in
any case the initialization procedure will automatically call
ppl_set_GMP_memory_allocation_functions(void).
(2) If your C++ compiler does not support __attribute__ ((weak))
then you cannot use the automatic initialization feature of the
library (see above) and should write a main program of the form
int main() {
// The ordering of the following function calls is important.
mp_set_memory_functions(cxx_malloc, cxx_realloc, cxx_free);
Parma_Polyhedra_Library::initialize();
...
USING NATIVE FLOATING POINT NUMBERS
At initialization time, the Parma Polyhedra Library sets the FPU round-
ing mode in a way that allows its floating-point-based computations to
be conservative (i.e., possibly approximated but correct) and reason-
ably efficient. In case your application itself uses native floating
point numbers and relies on a particular rounding mode (if you are in
doubt, assume that it does rely on round-to-nearest to be in effect),
you should use the function
void Parma_Polyhedra_Library::restore_pre_PPL_rounding()
after the PPL initialization and before using native floating point
numbers in the application. If your application does not use any
floating-point-based PPL abstraction, no further measure should be
taken. Otherwise, it is imperative to call the function
void Parma_Polyhedra_Library::set_rounding_for_PPL()
before invoking any PPL interface related to such abstractions.
SEE ALSO
ppl-config(1)
Roberto Bagnara, Patricia M. Hill, and Enea Zaffanella. The Parma
Polyhedra Library User's Manual (version 1.2), available (in several
formats) at http://bugseng.com/products/ppl/ .
David A. Wheeler. Program Library HOWTO, available (in several for-
mats) at http://www.dwheeler.com/program-library/ .
AVAILABILITY
The latest version of the Parma Polyhedra Library and all the documen-
tation is available at http://bugseng.com/products/ppl/ .
AUTHOR
See the file CREDITS in the source distribution or use the command
ppl-config --credits for a list of contributors.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <ppl-devel@cs.unipr.it>.
COPYRIGHT AND NO WARRANTY
Copyright (C) 2001-2010 Roberto Bagnara <bagnara@cs.unipr.it> Copyright
(C) 2010-2016 BUGSENG srl (http://bugseng.com)
This is free software; see the file COPYING in the source distribution
or use the command ppl-config --copying to obtain the copying condi-
tions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
PPL 1.2 February 2016 libppl(3)
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