a simple type-based C++ region allocator...

From:
"Chris M. Thomasson" <no@spam.invalid>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:22:46 -0800
Message-ID:
<gfv4h3$cb5$1@aioe.org>
Here is the initial crude implmentation which compiles under Comeau with no
warnings:
___________________________________________________________________
#include <cassert>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <new>
#include <list>

template<typename T, std::size_t BUFDEPTH = 1024>
class region_allocator {
  struct region {
    T m_buf[BUFDEPTH];
    std::size_t m_idx;

    void ctor() {
      m_idx = 0;
    }

    void dtor() {
      for (std::size_t i = 0; i < m_idx; ++i) {
        m_buf[i].~T();
      }
    }

    void* allocate() {
      std::size_t const idx = m_idx;
      if (idx + 1 > BUFDEPTH) {
        return NULL;
      }
      return (void*)&m_buf[idx];
    }

    void commit() {
      ++m_idx;
    }

    void flush() {
      dtor();
      ctor();
    }
  };

  std::list<region*> m_regions;

  struct allocation {
    region* m_region;
    void* m_mem;
  };

  region* prv_expand(){
    region* r = (region*)std::malloc(sizeof(*r));
    if (! r) {
      throw std::bad_alloc();
    };
    r->ctor();
    m_regions.push_front(r);
    return r;
  }

  inline void prv_allocate(allocation* const a) {
    typename std::list<region*>::iterator i;
    for (i = m_regions.begin(); i != m_regions.end(); ++i) {
      a->m_mem = (*i)->allocate();
      if (a->m_mem) {
        a->m_region = (*i);
        return;
      }
    }
    a->m_region = prv_expand();
    a->m_mem = a->m_region->allocate();
    assert(a->m_mem);
  }

  #define REGION_PRV_ALLOCATE(mp_params) \
    allocation a; \
    prv_allocate(&a); \
    T* const obj = new (a.m_mem) T mp_params; \
    a.m_region->commit(); \
    return obj

public:
  struct flush_guard {
    region_allocator& m_ralloc;

  public:
    flush_guard(region_allocator& ralloc) : m_ralloc(ralloc) {
      m_ralloc.flush();
    }

    ~flush_guard() {
      m_ralloc.flush();
    }
  };

  region_allocator() {
    prv_expand();
  }

  ~region_allocator() {
    flush();
    std::free(m_regions.front());
    m_regions.pop_front();
  }

  void flush() {
    std::size_t const depth = m_regions.size();
    for (std::size_t i = 1; i < depth; ++i) {
      region* const r = m_regions.back();
      r->dtor();
      std::free(r);
      m_regions.pop_back();
    }
    m_regions.front()->flush();
  }

  inline T* allocate() {
    REGION_PRV_ALLOCATE(());
  }

  template<typename P1>
  inline T* allocate(P1 p1) {
    REGION_PRV_ALLOCATE((p1));
  }

  template<typename P1, typename P2>
  inline T* allocate(P1 p1, P2 p2) {
    REGION_PRV_ALLOCATE((p1, p2));
  }

  template<typename P1, typename P2, typename P3>
  inline T* allocate(P1 p1, P2 p2, P3 p3) {
    REGION_PRV_ALLOCATE((p1, p2, p3));
  }

  // [and on and on for more params...];
};

/* Usage Example
______________________________________________________________*/
#include <cstdio>
#include <string>

class foo {
  unsigned const m_id;

public:
  foo(unsigned const id) : m_id(id) {
    std::printf("(%p)->foo::foo(%u)\n", (void*)this, id);
  }

  ~foo() {
    std::printf("(%p)->foo::~foo() - %u\n", (void*)this, m_id);
  }
};

class foo2 {
  unsigned const m_id;
  std::string const m_name;

public:
  foo2(unsigned const id, std::string const name)
    : m_id(id), m_name(name) {
    std::printf("(%p)->foo2::foo2(%u, %s)\n",
     (void*)this, id, name.c_str());
  }

  ~foo2() {
    std::printf("(%p)->foo2::~foo2() - %u, %s\n",
      (void*)this, m_id, m_name.c_str());
  }
};

struct node {
  node* m_next;

  node(node* next) : m_next(next) {
    std::printf("(%p)->node::node(%p)\n",
      (void*)this, (void*)next);
  }

  ~node() {
    std::printf("(%p)->node::~node(%p)\n",
      (void*)this, (void*)m_next);
  }
};

int main(void) {
  {
    region_allocator<foo, 2> foo_alloc;

    {
      region_allocator<foo, 2>::flush_guard fguard(foo_alloc);
      foo* f1 = foo_alloc.allocate(1);
      foo* f2 = foo_alloc.allocate(2);
      foo* f3 = foo_alloc.allocate(3);
      foo* f4 = foo_alloc.allocate(4);
    }

    foo* f1 = foo_alloc.allocate(5);
    foo* f2 = foo_alloc.allocate(6);
    foo* f3 = foo_alloc.allocate(7);
    foo* f4 = foo_alloc.allocate(8);

    {
      region_allocator<foo2> foo2_alloc;
      foo2* f2_1 = foo2_alloc.allocate(123, "Chris");
      foo2* f2_2 = foo2_alloc.allocate(456, "John");
      foo2* f2_3 = foo2_alloc.allocate(789, "Amy");
      foo2* f2_4 = foo2_alloc.allocate(777, "Kim");
      foo2* f2_5 = foo2_alloc.allocate(999, "Jane");
    }

    {
      region_allocator<unsigned, 64> int_alloc;

      unsigned* a1 = int_alloc.allocate(1);
      unsigned* a2 = int_alloc.allocate(2);
      unsigned* a3 = int_alloc.allocate(3);
      unsigned* a4 = int_alloc.allocate();

      *a4 = 123456789;

      std::printf("%u - %u - %u - %u\n", *a1, *a2, *a3, *a4);
    }
  }

  {
    region_allocator<node> node_alloc;
    node* head = NULL; // linked-list

    // fill
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < 512; ++i) {
      node* n = node_alloc.allocate(head);
      head = n;
    }

    // empty list
    head = NULL;
    node_alloc.flush();

    // refill
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < 2048; ++i) {
      node* n = node_alloc.allocate(head);
      head = n;
    }
  }

  return 0;
}
___________________________________________________________________

Notice how there are no explicit calls to a per-object deallocation
function? The `region_allocator<T, ...>::flush_guard' object uses RAII to
automatically invoke the `region_allocator<T, ...>::flush()' procedure which
calls the dtor of all contained objects and automatically frees excess
region memory. One nice thing is that it allows one to pass variable number
of arguments to the objects ctor.

Also, please take notice of how I can create a linked-list, and simple call
`flush()' to automatically destroy all of its nodes _without_ explicitly
traversing it. IMVHO, that ability can come in handy.

Well, what do you think of the initial design? Is it crap? How would you
improve it?

Thanks for all of your time! I really do appreciate it.

:^)

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