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			633 lines
		
	
	
		
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|  | <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" | ||
|  | "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <html> | ||
|  | <head> | ||
|  |   <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us"> | ||
|  |   <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> | ||
|  |   <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../../../boost.css"> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <title>Rounding Policies</title> | ||
|  | </head> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <body lang="en"> | ||
|  |   <h1>Rounding Policies</h1> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>In order to be as general as possible, the library uses a class to | ||
|  |   compute all the necessary functions rounded upward or downward. This class | ||
|  |   is the first parameter of <code>policies</code>, it is also the type named | ||
|  |   <code>rounding</code> in the policy definition of | ||
|  |   <code>interval</code>.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>By default, it is <code>interval_lib::rounded_math<T></code>. The | ||
|  |   class <code>interval_lib::rounded_math</code> is already specialized for | ||
|  |   the standard floating types (<code>float</code> , <code>double</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>long double</code>). So if the base type of your intervals is not one | ||
|  |   of these, a good solution would probably be to provide a specialization of | ||
|  |   this class. But if the default specialization of | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_math<T></code> for <code>float</code>, | ||
|  |   <code>double</code>, or <code>long double</code> is not what you seek, or | ||
|  |   you do not want to specialize | ||
|  |   <code>interval_lib::rounded_math<T></code> (say because you prefer to | ||
|  |   work in your own namespace) you can also define your own rounding policy | ||
|  |   and pass it directly to <code>interval_lib::policies</code>.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Requirements</h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Here comes what the class is supposed to provide. The domains are | ||
|  |   written next to their respective functions (as you can see, the functions | ||
|  |   do not have to worry about invalid values, but they have to handle infinite | ||
|  |   arguments).</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | /* Rounding requirements */ | ||
|  | struct rounding { | ||
|  |   // default constructor, destructor | ||
|  |   rounding(); | ||
|  |   ~rounding(); | ||
|  |   // mathematical operations | ||
|  |   T add_down(T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T add_up  (T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T sub_down(T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T sub_up  (T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T mul_down(T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T mul_up  (T, T); // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T div_down(T, T); // [-∞;+∞]([-∞;+∞]-{0}) | ||
|  |   T div_up  (T, T); // [-∞;+∞]([-∞;+∞]-{0}) | ||
|  |   T sqrt_down(T);   // ]0;+∞] | ||
|  |   T sqrt_up  (T);   // ]0;+∞] | ||
|  |   T exp_down(T);    // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T exp_up  (T);    // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T log_down(T);    // ]0;+∞] | ||
|  |   T log_up  (T);    // ]0;+∞] | ||
|  |   T cos_down(T);    // [0;2π] | ||
|  |   T cos_up  (T);    // [0;2π] | ||
|  |   T tan_down(T);    // ]-π/2;π/2[ | ||
|  |   T tan_up  (T);    // ]-π/2;π/2[ | ||
|  |   T asin_down(T);   // [-1;1] | ||
|  |   T asin_up  (T);   // [-1;1] | ||
|  |   T acos_down(T);   // [-1;1] | ||
|  |   T acos_up  (T);   // [-1;1] | ||
|  |   T atan_down(T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T atan_up  (T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T sinh_down(T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T sinh_up  (T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T cosh_down(T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T cosh_up  (T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T tanh_down(T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T tanh_up  (T);   // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T asinh_down(T);  // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T asinh_up  (T);  // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T acosh_down(T);  // [1;+∞] | ||
|  |   T acosh_up  (T);  // [1;+∞] | ||
|  |   T atanh_down(T);  // [-1;1] | ||
|  |   T atanh_up  (T);  // [-1;1]  | ||
|  |   T median(T, T);   // [-∞;+∞][-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T int_down(T);    // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   T int_up  (T);    // [-∞;+∞] | ||
|  |   // conversion functions | ||
|  |   T conv_down(U); | ||
|  |   T conv_up  (U); | ||
|  |   // unprotected rounding class | ||
|  |   typedef ... unprotected_rounding; | ||
|  | }; | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The constructor and destructor of the rounding class have a very | ||
|  |   important semantic requirement: they are responsible for setting and | ||
|  |   resetting the rounding modes of the computation on T. For instance, if T is | ||
|  |   a standard floating point type and floating point computation is performed | ||
|  |   according to the Standard IEEE 754, the constructor can save the current | ||
|  |   rounding state, each <code>_up</code> (resp. <code>_down</code>) function | ||
|  |   will round up (resp. down), and the destructor will restore the saved | ||
|  |   rounding state. Indeed this is the behavior of the default rounding | ||
|  |   policy.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The meaning of all the mathematical functions up until | ||
|  |   <code>atanh_up</code> is clear: each function returns number representable | ||
|  |   in the type <code>T</code> which is a lower bound (for <code>_down</code>) | ||
|  |   or upper bound (for <code>_up</code>) on the true mathematical result of | ||
|  |   the corresponding function. The function <code>median</code> computes the | ||
|  |   average of its two arguments rounded to its nearest representable number. | ||
|  |   The functions <code>int_down</code> and <code>int_up</code> compute the | ||
|  |   nearest integer smaller or bigger than their argument. Finally, | ||
|  |   <code>conv_down</code> and <code>conv_up</code> are responsible of the | ||
|  |   conversions of values of other types to the base number type: the first one | ||
|  |   must round down the value and the second one must round it up.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The type <code>unprotected_rounding</code> allows to remove all | ||
|  |   controls. For reasons why one might to do this, see the <a href= | ||
|  |   "#Protection">protection</a> paragraph below.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Overview of the provided classes</h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>A lot of classes are provided. The classes are organized by level. At | ||
|  |   the bottom is the class <code>rounding_control</code>. At the next level | ||
|  |   come <code>rounded_arith_exact</code>, <code>rounded_arith_std</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_arith_opp</code>. Then there are | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_transc_dummy</code>, <code>rounded_transc_exact</code>, | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_transc_std</code> and <code>rounded_transc_opp</code>. And | ||
|  |   finally are <code>save_state</code> and <code>save_state_nothing</code>. | ||
|  |   Each of these classes provide a set of members that are required by the | ||
|  |   classes of the next level. For example, a <code>rounded_transc_...</code> | ||
|  |   class needs the members of a <code>rounded_arith_...</code> class.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>When they exist in two versions <code>_std</code> and <code>_opp</code>, | ||
|  |   the first one does switch the rounding mode each time, and the second one | ||
|  |   tries to keep it oriented toward plus infinity. The main purpose of the | ||
|  |   <code>_opp</code> version is to speed up the computations through the use | ||
|  |   of the "opposite trick" (see the <a href="#perf">performance notes</a>). | ||
|  |   This version requires the rounding mode to be upward before entering any | ||
|  |   computation functions of the class. It guarantees that the rounding mode | ||
|  |   will still be upward at the exit of the functions.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Please note that it is really a very bad idea to mix the | ||
|  |   <code>_opp</code> version with the <code>_std</code> since they do not have | ||
|  |   compatible properties.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>There is a third version named <code>_exact</code> which computes the | ||
|  |   functions without changing the rounding mode. It is an "exact" version | ||
|  |   because it is intended for a base type that produces exact results.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The last version is the <code>_dummy</code> version. It does not do any | ||
|  |   computations but still produces compatible results.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Please note that it is possible to use the "exact" version for an | ||
|  |   inexact base type, e.g. <code>float</code> or <code>double</code>. In that | ||
|  |   case, the inclusion property is no longer guaranteed, but this can be | ||
|  |   useful to speed up the computation when the inclusion property is not | ||
|  |   desired strictly. For instance, in computer graphics, a small error due to | ||
|  |   floating-point roundoff is acceptable as long as an approximate version of | ||
|  |   the inclusion property holds.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Here comes what each class defines. Later, when they will be described | ||
|  |   more thoroughly, these members will not be repeated. Please come back here | ||
|  |   in order to see them. Inheritance is also used to avoid repetitions.</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | template <class T> | ||
|  | struct rounding_control | ||
|  | { | ||
|  |   typedef ... rounding_mode; | ||
|  |   void set_rounding_mode(rounding_mode); | ||
|  |   void get_rounding_mode(rounding_mode&); | ||
|  |   void downward (); | ||
|  |   void upward   (); | ||
|  |   void to_nearest(); | ||
|  |   T to_int(T); | ||
|  |   T force_rounding(T); | ||
|  | }; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding> | ||
|  | struct rounded_arith_... : Rounding | ||
|  | { | ||
|  |   void init(); | ||
|  |   T add_down(T, T); | ||
|  |   T add_up  (T, T); | ||
|  |   T sub_down(T, T); | ||
|  |   T sub_up  (T, T); | ||
|  |   T mul_down(T, T); | ||
|  |   T mul_up  (T, T); | ||
|  |   T div_down(T, T); | ||
|  |   T div_up  (T, T); | ||
|  |   T sqrt_down(T); | ||
|  |   T sqrt_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T median(T, T); | ||
|  |   T int_down(T); | ||
|  |   T int_up  (T); | ||
|  | }; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding> | ||
|  | struct rounded_transc_... : Rounding | ||
|  | { | ||
|  |   T exp_down(T); | ||
|  |   T exp_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T log_down(T); | ||
|  |   T log_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T cos_down(T); | ||
|  |   T cos_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T tan_down(T); | ||
|  |   T tan_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T asin_down(T); | ||
|  |   T asin_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T acos_down(T); | ||
|  |   T acos_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T atan_down(T); | ||
|  |   T atan_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T sinh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T sinh_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T cosh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T cosh_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T tanh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T tanh_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T asinh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T asinh_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T acosh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T acosh_up  (T); | ||
|  |   T atanh_down(T); | ||
|  |   T atanh_up  (T); | ||
|  | }; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | template <class Rounding> | ||
|  | struct save_state_... : Rounding | ||
|  | { | ||
|  |   save_state_...(); | ||
|  |   ~save_state_...(); | ||
|  |   typedef ... unprotected_rounding; | ||
|  | }; | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Synopsis</h2> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | namespace boost { | ||
|  | namespace numeric { | ||
|  | namespace interval_lib { | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style="color: #FF0000">/* basic rounding control */</span> | ||
|  | template <class T>  struct rounding_control; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style="color: #FF0000">/* arithmetic functions rounding */</span> | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounding_control<T> > struct rounded_arith_exact; | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounding_control<T> > struct rounded_arith_std; | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounding_control<T> > struct rounded_arith_opp; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style="color: #FF0000">/* transcendental functions rounding */</span> | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding> struct rounded_transc_dummy; | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounded_arith_exact<T> > struct rounded_transc_exact; | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounded_arith_std<T> > struct rounded_transc_std; | ||
|  | template <class T, class Rounding = rounded_arith_opp<T> > struct rounded_transc_opp; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style="color: #FF0000">/* rounding-state-saving classes */</span> | ||
|  | template <class Rounding> struct save_state; | ||
|  | template <class Rounding> struct save_state_nothing; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style="color: #FF0000">/* default policy for type T */</span> | ||
|  | template <class T>  struct rounded_math; | ||
|  | template <>  struct rounded_math<float>; | ||
|  | template <>  struct rounded_math<double>; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | <span style= | ||
|  | "color: #FF0000">/* some metaprogramming to convert a protected to unprotected rounding */</span> | ||
|  | template <class I> struct unprotect; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  | } // namespace interval_lib | ||
|  | } // namespace numeric | ||
|  | } // namespace boost | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Description of the provided classes</h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>We now describe each class in the order they appear in the definition of | ||
|  |   a rounding policy (this outermost-to-innermost order is the reverse order | ||
|  |   from the synopsis).</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3 id="Protection">Protection control</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Protection refers to the fact that the interval operations will be | ||
|  |   surrounded by rounding mode controls. Unprotecting a class means to remove | ||
|  |   all the rounding controls. Each rounding policy provides a type | ||
|  |   <code>unprotected_rounding</code>. The required type | ||
|  |   <code>unprotected_rounding</code> gives another rounding class that enables | ||
|  |   to work when nested inside rounding. For example, the first three lines | ||
|  |   below should all produce the same result (because the first operation is | ||
|  |   the rounding constructor, and the last is its destructor, which take care | ||
|  |   of setting the rounding modes); and the last line is allowed to have an | ||
|  |   undefined behavior (since no rounding constructor or destructor is ever | ||
|  |   called).</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | T c; { rounding rnd; c = rnd.add_down(a, b); } | ||
|  | T c; { rounding rnd1; { rounding rnd2; c = rnd2.add_down(a, b); } } | ||
|  | T c; { rounding rnd1; { rounding::unprotected_rounding rnd2; c = rnd2.add_down(a, b); } } | ||
|  | T d; { rounding::unprotected_rounding rnd; d = rnd.add_down(a, b); } | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Naturally <code>rounding::unprotected_rounding</code> may simply be | ||
|  |   <code>rounding</code> itself. But it can improve performance if it is a | ||
|  |   simplified version with empty constructor and destructor. In order to avoid | ||
|  |   undefined behaviors, in the library, an object of type | ||
|  |   <code>rounding::unprotected_rounding</code> is guaranteed to be created | ||
|  |   only when an object of type <code>rounding</code> is already alive. See the | ||
|  |   <a href="#perf">performance notes</a> for some additional details.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The support library defines a metaprogramming class template | ||
|  |   <code>unprotect</code> which takes an interval type <code>I</code> and | ||
|  |   returns an interval type <code>unprotect<I>::type</code> where the | ||
|  |   rounding policy has been unprotected. Some information about the types: | ||
|  |   <code>interval<T, interval_lib::policies<Rounding, _> | ||
|  |   >::traits_type::rounding</code> <b>is</b> the same type as | ||
|  |   <code>Rounding</code>, and <code>unprotect<interval<T, | ||
|  |   interval_lib::policies<Rounding, _> > >::type</code> <b>is</b> | ||
|  |   the same type as <code>interval<T, | ||
|  |   interval_lib::policies<Rounding::unprotected, _> ></code>.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3>State saving</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>First comes <code>save_state</code>. This class is responsible for | ||
|  |   saving the current rounding mode and calling init in its constructor, and | ||
|  |   for restoring the saved rounding mode in its destructor. This class also | ||
|  |   defines the <code>unprotected_rounding</code> type.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>If the rounding mode does not require any state-saving or | ||
|  |   initialization, <code>save_state_nothing</code> can be used instead of | ||
|  |   <code>save_state</code>.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3>Transcendental functions</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The classes <code>rounded_transc_exact</code>, | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_transc_std</code> and <code>rounded_transc_opp</code> expect | ||
|  |   the std namespace to provide the functions exp log cos tan acos asin atan | ||
|  |   cosh sinh tanh acosh asinh atanh. For the <code>_std</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>_opp</code> versions, all these functions should respect the current | ||
|  |   rounding mode fixed by a call to downward or upward.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p><strong>Please note:</strong> Unfortunately, the latter is rarely the | ||
|  |   case. It is the reason why a class <code>rounded_transc_dummy</code> is | ||
|  |   provided which does not depend on the functions from the std namespace. | ||
|  |   There is no magic, however. The functions of | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_transc_dummy</code> do not compute anything. They only return | ||
|  |   valid values. For example, <code>cos_down</code> always returns -1. In this | ||
|  |   way, we do verify the inclusion property for the default implementation, | ||
|  |   even if this has strictly no value for the user. In order to have useful | ||
|  |   values, another policy should be used explicitely, which will most likely | ||
|  |   lead to a violation of the inclusion property. In this way, we ensure that | ||
|  |   the violation is clearly pointed out to the user who then knows what he | ||
|  |   stands against. This class could have been used as the default | ||
|  |   transcendental rounding class, but it was decided it would be better for | ||
|  |   the compilation to fail due to missing declarations rather than succeed | ||
|  |   thanks to valid but unusable functions.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3>Basic arithmetic functions</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The classes <code>rounded_arith_std</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>rounded_arith_opp</code> expect the operators + - * / and the | ||
|  |   function <code>std::sqrt</code> to respect the current rounding mode.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The class <code>rounded_arith_exact</code> requires | ||
|  |   <code>std::floor</code> and <code>std::ceil</code> to be defined since it | ||
|  |   can not rely on <code>to_int</code>.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3>Rounding control</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The functions defined by each of the previous classes did not need any | ||
|  |   explanation. For example, the behavior of <code>add_down</code> is to | ||
|  |   compute the sum of two numbers rounded downward. For | ||
|  |   <code>rounding_control</code>, the situation is a bit more complex.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The basic function is <code>force_rounding</code> which returns its | ||
|  |   argument correctly rounded accordingly to the current rounding mode if it | ||
|  |   was not already the case. This function is necessary to handle delayed | ||
|  |   rounding. Indeed, depending on the way the computations are done, the | ||
|  |   intermediate results may be internally stored in a more precise format and | ||
|  |   it can lead to a wrong rounding. So the function enforces the rounding. | ||
|  |   <a href="#extreg">Here</a> is an example of what happens when the rounding | ||
|  |   is not enforced.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The function <code>get_rounding_mode</code> returns the current rounding | ||
|  |   mode, <code>set_rounding_mode</code> sets the rounding mode back to a | ||
|  |   previous value returned by <code>get_rounding_mode</code>. | ||
|  |   <code>downward</code>, <code>upward</code> and <code>to_nearest</code> sets | ||
|  |   the rounding mode in one of the three directions. This rounding mode should | ||
|  |   be global to all the functions that use the type <code>T</code>. For | ||
|  |   example, after a call to <code>downward</code>, | ||
|  |   <code>force_rounding(x+y)</code> is expected to return the sum rounded | ||
|  |   toward -∞.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The function <code>to_int</code> computes the nearest integer | ||
|  |   accordingly to the current rounding mode.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The non-specialized version of <code>rounding_control</code> does not do | ||
|  |   anything. The functions for the rounding mode are empty, and | ||
|  |   <code>to_int</code> and <code>force_rounding</code> are identity functions. | ||
|  |   The <code>pi_</code> constant functions return suitable integers (for | ||
|  |   example, <code>pi_up</code> returns <code>T(4)</code>).</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The class template <code>rounding_control</code> is specialized for | ||
|  |   <code>float</code>, <code>double</code> and <code>long double</code> in | ||
|  |   order to best use the floating point unit of the computer.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Template class <tt>rounded_math</tt></h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The default policy (aka <code>rounded_math<T></code>) is simply | ||
|  |   defined as:</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | template <class T> struct rounded_math<T> : save_state_nothing<rounded_arith_exact<T> > {}; | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>and the specializations for <code>float</code>, <code>double</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>long double</code> use <code>rounded_arith_opp</code>, as in:</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | template <> struct rounded_math<float>       : save_state<rounded_arith_opp<float> >       {}; | ||
|  | template <> struct rounded_math<double>      : save_state<rounded_arith_opp<double> >      {}; | ||
|  | template <> struct rounded_math<long double> : save_state<rounded_arith_opp<long double> > {}; | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2 id="perf">Performance Issues</h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>This paragraph deals mostly with the performance of the library with | ||
|  |   intervals using the floating-point unit (FPU) of the computer. Let's | ||
|  |   consider the sum of [<i>a</i>,<i>b</i>] and [<i>c</i>,<i>d</i>] as an | ||
|  |   example. The result is [<code>down</code>(<i>a</i>+<i>c</i>), | ||
|  |   <code>up</code>(<i>b</i>+<i>d</i>)], where <code>down</code> and | ||
|  |   <code>up</code> indicate the rounding mode needed.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3>Rounding Mode Switch</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>If the FPU is able to use a different rounding mode for each operation, | ||
|  |   there is no problem. For example, it's the case for the Alpha processor: | ||
|  |   each floating-point instruction can specify a different rounding mode. | ||
|  |   However, the IEEE-754 Standard does not require such a behavior. So most of | ||
|  |   the FPUs only provide some instructions to set the rounding mode for all | ||
|  |   subsequent operations. And generally, these instructions need to flush the | ||
|  |   pipeline of the FPU.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>In this situation, the time needed to sum [<i>a</i>,<i>b</i>] and | ||
|  |   [<i>c</i>,<i>d</i>] is far worse than the time needed to calculate | ||
|  |   <i>a</i>+<i>b</i> and <i>c</i>+<i>d</i> since the two additions cannot be | ||
|  |   parallelized. Consequently, the objective is to diminish the number of | ||
|  |   rounding mode switches.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>If this library is not used to provide exact computations, but only for | ||
|  |   pair arithmetic, the solution is quite simple: do not use rounding. In that | ||
|  |   case, doing the sum [<i>a</i>,<i>b</i>] and [<i>c</i>,<i>d</i>] will be as | ||
|  |   fast as computing <i>a</i>+<i>b</i> and <i>c</i>+<i>d</i>. Everything is | ||
|  |   perfect.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>However, if exact computations are required, such a solution is totally | ||
|  |   unthinkable. So, are we penniless? No, there is still a trick available. | ||
|  |   Indeed, down(<i>a</i>+<i>c</i>) = -up(-<i>a</i>-<i>c</i>) if the unary | ||
|  |   minus is an exact operation. It is now possible to calculate the whole sum | ||
|  |   with the same rounding mode. Generally, the cost of the mode switching is | ||
|  |   worse than the cost of the sign changes.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h4>Speeding up consecutive operations</h4> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The interval addition is not the only operation; most of the interval | ||
|  |   operations can be computed by setting the rounding direction of the FPU | ||
|  |   only once. So the operations of the floating point rounding policy assume | ||
|  |   that the direction is correctly set. This assumption is usually not true in | ||
|  |   a program (the user and the standard library expect the rounding direction | ||
|  |   to be to nearest), so these operations have to be enclosed in a shell that | ||
|  |   sets the floating point environment. This protection is done by the | ||
|  |   constructor and destructor of the rounding policy.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Les us now consider the case of two consecutive interval additions: | ||
|  |   [<i>a</i>,<i>b</i>] + [<i>c</i>,<i>d</i>] + [<i>e</i>,<i>f</i>]. The | ||
|  |   generated code should look like:</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | init_rounding_mode();    // rounding object construction during the first addition | ||
|  | t1 = -(-a - c); | ||
|  | t2 = b + d; | ||
|  | restore_rounding_mode(); // rounding object destruction | ||
|  | init_rounding_mode();    // rounding object construction during the second addition | ||
|  | x = -(-t1 - e); | ||
|  | y = t2 + f; | ||
|  | restore_rounding_mode(); // rounding object destruction | ||
|  | // the result is the interval [x,y] | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Between the two operations, the rounding direction is restored, and then | ||
|  |   initialized again. Ideally, compilers should be able to optimize this | ||
|  |   useless code away. But unfortunately they are not, and this slows the code | ||
|  |   down by an order of magnitude. In order to avoid this bottleneck, the user | ||
|  |   can tell to the interval operations that they do not need to be protected | ||
|  |   anymore. It will then be up to the user to protect the interval | ||
|  |   computations. The compiler will then be able to generate such a code:</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | init_rounding_mode();    // done by the user | ||
|  | x = -(-a - c - e); | ||
|  | y = b + d + f; | ||
|  | restore_rounding_mode(); // done by the user | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The user will have to create a rounding object. And as long as this | ||
|  |   object is alive, unprotected versions of the interval operations can be | ||
|  |   used. They are selected by using an interval type with a specific rounding | ||
|  |   policy. If the initial interval type is <code>I</code>, then | ||
|  |   <code>I::traits_type::rounding</code> is the type of the rounding object, | ||
|  |   and <code>interval_lib::unprotect<I>::type</code> is the type of the | ||
|  |   unprotected interval type.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Because the rounding mode of the FPU is changed during the life of the | ||
|  |   rounding object, any arithmetic floating point operation that does not | ||
|  |   involve the interval library can lead to unexpected results. And | ||
|  |   reciprocally, using unprotected interval operation when no rounding object | ||
|  |   is alive will produce intervals that are not guaranteed anymore to contain | ||
|  |   the real result.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h4 id="perfexp">Example</h4> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Here is an example of Horner's scheme to compute the value of a polynom. | ||
|  |   The rounding mode switches are disabled for the whole computation.</p> | ||
|  |   <pre> | ||
|  | // I is an interval class, the polynom is a simple array | ||
|  | template<class I> | ||
|  | I horner(const I& x, const I p[], int n) { | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   // save and initialize the rounding mode | ||
|  |   typename I::traits_type::rounding rnd; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   // define the unprotected version of the interval type | ||
|  |   typedef typename boost::numeric::interval_lib::unprotect<I>::type R; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   const R& a = x; | ||
|  |   R y = p[n - 1]; | ||
|  |   for(int i = n - 2; i >= 0; i--) { | ||
|  |     y = y * a + (const R&)(p[i]); | ||
|  |   } | ||
|  |   return y; | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   // restore the rounding mode with the destruction of rnd | ||
|  | } | ||
|  | </pre> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Please note that a rounding object is specially created in order to | ||
|  |   protect all the interval computations. Each interval of type I is converted | ||
|  |   in an interval of type R before any operations. If this conversion is not | ||
|  |   done, the result is still correct, but the interest of this whole | ||
|  |   optimization has disappeared. Whenever possible, it is good to convert to | ||
|  |   <code>const R&</code> instead of <code>R</code>: indeed, the function | ||
|  |   could already be called inside an unprotection block so the types | ||
|  |   <code>R</code> and <code>I</code> would be the same interval, no need for a | ||
|  |   conversion.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h4>Uninteresting remark</h4> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>It was said at the beginning that the Alpha processors can use a | ||
|  |   specific rounding mode for each operation. However, due to the instruction | ||
|  |   format, the rounding toward plus infinity is not available. Only the | ||
|  |   rounding toward minus infinity can be used. So the trick using the change | ||
|  |   of sign becomes essential, but there is no need to save and restore the | ||
|  |   rounding mode on both sides of an operation.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h3 id="extreg">Extended Registers</h3> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>There is another problem besides the cost of the rounding mode switch. | ||
|  |   Some FPUs use extended registers (for example, float computations will be | ||
|  |   done with double registers, or double computations with long double | ||
|  |   registers). Consequently, many problems can arise.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>The first one is due to to the extended precision of the mantissa. The | ||
|  |   rounding is also done on this extended precision. And consequently, we | ||
|  |   still have down(<i>a</i>+<i>b</i>) = -up(-<i>a</i>-<i>b</i>) in the | ||
|  |   extended registers. But back to the standard precision, we now have | ||
|  |   down(<i>a</i>+<i>b</i>) < -up(-<i>a</i>-<i>b</i>) instead of an | ||
|  |   equality. A solution could be not to use this method. But there still are | ||
|  |   other problems, with the comparisons between numbers for example.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Naturally, there is also a problem with the extended precision of the | ||
|  |   exponent. To illustrate this problem, let <i>m</i> be the biggest number | ||
|  |   before +<i>inf</i>. If we calculate 2*[<i>m</i>,<i>m</i>], the answer | ||
|  |   should be [<i>m</i>,<i>inf</i>]. But due to the extended registers, the FPU | ||
|  |   will first store [<i>2m</i>,<i>2m</i>] and then convert it to | ||
|  |   [<i>inf</i>,<i>inf</i>] at the end of the calculus (when the rounding mode | ||
|  |   is toward +<i>inf</i>). So the answer is no more accurate.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>There is only one solution: to force the FPU to convert the extended | ||
|  |   values back to standard precision after each operation. Some FPUs provide | ||
|  |   an instruction able to do this conversion (for example the PowerPC | ||
|  |   processors). But for the FPUs that do not provide it (the x86 processors), | ||
|  |   the only solution is to write the values to memory and read them back. Such | ||
|  |   an operation is obviously very expensive.</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <h2>Some Examples</h2> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Here come several cases:</p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <ul> | ||
|  |     <li>if you need precise computations with the <code>float</code> or | ||
|  |     <code>double</code> types, use the default | ||
|  |     <code>rounded_math<T></code>;</li> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |     <li>for fast wide intervals without any rounding nor precision, use | ||
|  |     <code>save_state_nothing<rounded_transc_exact<T> | ||
|  |     ></code>;</li> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |     <li>for an exact type (like int or rational with a little help for | ||
|  |     infinite and NaN values) without support for transcendental functions, | ||
|  |     the solution could be | ||
|  |     <code>save_state_nothing<rounded_transc_dummy<T, | ||
|  |     rounded_arith_exact<T> > ></code> or directly | ||
|  |     <code>save_state_nothing<rounded_arith_exact<T> | ||
|  |     ></code>;</li> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |     <li>if it is a more complex case than the previous ones, the best thing | ||
|  |     is probably to directly define your own policy.</li> | ||
|  |   </ul> | ||
|  |   <hr> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=referer"><img border="0" src= | ||
|  |   "../../../../doc/images/valid-html401.png" alt="Valid HTML 4.01 Transitional" | ||
|  |   height="31" width="88"></a></p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p>Revised  | ||
|  |   <!--webbot bot="Timestamp" s-type="EDITED" s-format="%Y-%m-%d" startspan -->2006-12-24<!--webbot bot="Timestamp" endspan i-checksum="12172" --></p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p><i>Copyright © 2002 Guillaume Melquiond, Sylvain Pion, Hervé | ||
|  |   Brönnimann, Polytechnic University<br> | ||
|  |   Copyright © 2004-2005 Guillaume Melquiond, ENS Lyon</i></p> | ||
|  | 
 | ||
|  |   <p><i>Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See | ||
|  |   accompanying file <a href="../../../../LICENSE_1_0.txt">LICENSE_1_0.txt</a> | ||
|  |   or copy at <a href= | ||
|  |   "http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt">http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>)</i></p> | ||
|  | </body> | ||
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