Fast intersection of sets: C++ vs C#

Question

On my machine (Quad core, 8gb ram), running Vista x64 Business, with Visual Studio 2008 SP1, I am trying to intersect two sets of numbers very quickly.

I\'ve impleme

Answer 1

You are STILL passing the vectors by value. Which would be ok if you weren't copying them as well.

inserter was not puting the values at the end of the vector where is it quick. It only did that on the first insert after that it inserted the value at the beginning of the array (where end used to point).

you where looking up the value twice in the hash map version, when you updated the value. Why is this value event being updated?

run this code and post your timings.

// MapPerformance.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application.
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <hash_map>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include <time.h>
#include <algorithm>
#include <set>

#include <boost\unordered\unordered_set.hpp>

#include "timer.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace stdext;
using namespace boost;

int runIntersectionTest(const vector<int>& set1, const vector<int>& set2)
{
    // hash_map<int,int> theMap;
    // map<int,int> theMap;
    unordered_set<int> theSet;      

     theSet.insert( set1.begin(), set2.end() );

    int intersectionSize = 0;

    vector<int>::const_iterator set2_end = set2.end();

    for ( vector<int>::const_iterator iterator = set2.begin(); iterator != set2_end; ++iterator )
    {
        if ( theSet.find(*iterator) != theSet.end() )
        {
                intersectionSize++;
        }
    }

    return intersectionSize;
}

int runSetIntersection( vector<int> set1, vector<int> set2)
{   
    // Sort the data
    sort(set1.begin(),set1.end());
    sort(set2.begin(),set2.end());

    vector<int> intersection;
    intersection.reserve(1000);

    set_intersection(set1.begin(),set1.end(), set2.begin(), set2.end(), back_inserter(intersection));

    return intersection.size(); 
}

void createSets( vector<int>& set1, vector<int>& set2 )
{
    srand ( time(NULL) );

    set1.reserve(100000);
    set2.reserve(1000);

    // Create 100,000 values for set1
    for ( int i = 0; i < 100000; i++ )
    {
        int value = 1000000000 + i;
        set1.push_back(value);
    }

    // Try to get half of our values intersecting
    float ratio = 200000.0f / RAND_MAX;


    // Create 1,000 values for set2
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        int random = rand() * ratio + 1;

        int value = 1000000000 + random;
        set2.push_back(value);
    }

    // Make sure set1 is in random order (not sorted)
    random_shuffle(set1.begin(),set1.end());
}

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    int intersectionSize = 0;

    vector<int> set1, set2;     
    createSets( set1, set2 );

    Timer timer;
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        intersectionSize = runIntersectionTest(set1, set2);
    }
    timer.Stop();

    cout << "Found the intersection of " << intersectionSize << " values (using unordered_map) 1000 times, in " << timer.GetMilliseconds() << "ms" << endl;

    timer.Reset();
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        intersectionSize = runSetIntersection(set1,set2);
    }
    timer.Stop();

    cout << "Found the intersection of " << intersectionSize << " values (using set_intersection) 1000 times, in " << timer.GetMilliseconds() << "ms" << endl;

    getchar();

    return 0;
}

Answer 2

Update:

I modified the set_intersection code to use vectors, and to sort them (instead of using the sorted set class), and its MUCH faster now:

Found the intersection of 319 values (using unordered_map) 1000 times, in 22187.5ms
Found the intersection of 315 values (using set_intersection) 1000 times, in 2401.62ms

Keep in mind: the larger set is created sorted, so sorting it might not take much time in this example.

C++ Code:

// MapPerformance.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application.
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <hash_map>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include <time.h>
#include <algorithm>
#include <set>

#include <boost\unordered\unordered_map.hpp>

#include "timer.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace stdext;
using namespace boost;

int runIntersectionTest(vector<int> set1, vector<int> set2)
{
    // hash_map<int,int> theMap;
    // map<int,int> theMap;
    unordered_map<int,int> theMap;

    // Now intersect the two sets by populating the map
    for ( vector<int>::iterator iterator = set1.begin(); iterator != set1.end(); iterator++ )
    {
        int value = *iterator;

        theMap[value] = 1;
    }

    int intersectionSize = 0;

    for ( vector<int>::iterator iterator = set2.begin(); iterator != set2.end(); iterator++ )
    {
        int value = *iterator;

        unordered_map<int,int>::iterator foundValue = theMap.find(value);

        if ( foundValue != theMap.end() )
        {
            theMap[value] = 2;

            intersectionSize++;
        }
    }

    return intersectionSize;

}

int runSetIntersection(vector<int> set1, vector<int> set2)
{   
    sort(set1.begin(),set1.end());
    sort(set2.begin(),set2.end());

    set<int> intersection;

    set_intersection(set1.begin(),set1.end(), set2.begin(), set2.end(), inserter(intersection, intersection.end()));

    return intersection.size(); 
}



int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    srand ( time(NULL) );

    vector<int> set1;
    vector<int> set2;

    set1.reserve(10000);
    set2.reserve(1000);

    // Create 100,000 values for set1
    for ( int i = 0; i < 100000; i++ )
    {
        int value = 1000000000 + i;
        set1.push_back(value);
    }

    // Create 1,000 values for set2
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        int random = rand() % 200000 + 1;
        random *= 10;

        int value = 1000000000 + random;
        set2.push_back(value);
    }

    int intersectionSize = 0;


    Timer timer;
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        intersectionSize = runIntersectionTest(set1, set2);
    }
    timer.Stop();

    cout << "Found the intersection of " << intersectionSize << " values (using unordered_map) 1000 times, in " << timer.GetMilliseconds() << "ms" << endl;

    timer.Reset();
    for ( int i = 0; i < 1000; i++ )
    {
        intersectionSize = runSetIntersection(set1,set2);
    }
    timer.Stop();

    cout << "Found the intersection of " << intersectionSize << " values (using set_intersection) 1000 times, in " << timer.GetMilliseconds() << "ms" << endl;

    getchar();

    return 0;
}

Answer 3

Are C++ optimization flags turned on?

Answer 4

One problem I see right away is that you're passing the sets in C++ by value and not by const reference. So you're copying them every time you pass them around!

Also, I would not use a set for the target of set_intersection. I would use something like

int runSetIntersection(const set<int>& set1, const set<int>& set2)
{   
    vector<int> intersection;
    intersection.reserve(10000) // or whatever the max is

    set_intersection(set1.begin(),set1.end(), set2.begin(), set2.end(), back_inserter(intersection));

    return intersection.size(); 
}

This code, however, still allocates inside the function. Even faster would be

int runSetIntersection(const set<int>& set1, const set<int>& set2, vector<int>& scratch)
{   
    scratch.reserve(10000) // or whatever the max is

    set_intersection(set1.begin(),set1.end(), set2.begin(), set2.end(), back_inserter(scratch));

    return scratch.size(); 
}

And then allocate scratch before you start the timer.

Though, if you're just looking for the size, a hand-written for loop, combined with set::find might give even better results.

Answer 5

Since you're using Visual Studio you should check whether you have _SECURE_SCL set to 1 (typically if you haven't explicitly set it it will be 1). If it's set all STL-code will be range-checked, even in release-builds. Typically slowing down code by a 10-15%.

It seems Microsoft wasn't aware that for instance std::vector already has an interface if you want the range-checking: std::vector::at()!

(Sorry, had to get it off my chest).

Anyway the main inefficiency is that you're copying the containers instead of passing them by value. Use references to (try to) compare apples and apples instead of apples and bananas.

Answer 6

I would change the C++ "runIntersectionTest" to take const references to the containers rather than having them copy-constructed on each call. (The C# code will be using refs.)