Re: [Caml-list] tail call optimization

[Brian Hurt <bhurt@spnz.org>]

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003, Dustin Sallings wrote:

> 
> On Nov 18, 2003, at 22:50, Brian Hurt wrote:
> 
> > This function is not tail recursive.  Basically, if the recursive call
> > either a) is wrapped in a try block, or b) has it's return value 
> > modified
> 
> 	I guess I don't understand the point of clause a.  The try block 
> doesn't seem like it should prevent the optimization.

What would happen if f just happened to throw an End_of_file exception?  
Not to mention the fact that it's tricky for the compiler to determine 
that the call to fold_lines can't throw an End_of_file.  So the compiler 
just assumes that both might, and thus has to keep the try/catch block, 
and the context (stack frame) of the function, alive until both are 
complete.

-- 
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                                - Gene Spafford 
Brian


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