KISS code block execution-speed benchmark

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Motivation

"Yesterday I was working on some code, that I think is time critical. So I wrote myself a file, a really little test project, to visualize the elapsed CPU cycles (of my life) that passed while executing the mentioned code block. As the work progressed I also wanted to see the differences, measured in cycles, between single versions, or in other words how good or bad I was in optimizing it. I wasn't quite finished with my work when I suddenly saw, that the little speed testing utility could be something, that I might share." I wrote this text some time ago. Since then my benchmark evolved...

Description

Usage

1. Create new empty console project.
2. Add benchmark.h and benchmark.cpp into the project.
3. Add an empty .cpp file into the project. Your .cpp file should have following layout:

   #include <benchmark.h>
   
   // put all your include files here together with globals
   
   START_BENCHMARK
   // expands to int main(int, char**)
   //      - don't define your own  !!!
   
       //-------------------------------------------------------------
       // repeat following code for each test you wish to run
       //-------------------------------------------------------------
   
       // below are helper macros for safe access to test parameters 
       // each parameter once set is valid for all consecutive tests 
       // until changed by a call to it`s appropriate setter 
       // parameters are set in this order:
       // 1. default values - "Generic Test" in dirty environment
       //           with 5 chaching and 10,000 testing iterations
       // 2. command line arguments - override default values
       //           (see below for possible switches)
       // 3. macro setters
   
       //sets test description - may be omitted
       SET_DESCRIPTION(formatting string)
       //sets number of chaching iterations - may be omitted
       SET_CACHING_ITERATIONS(integer)
       //sets number of testing iterations - may be omitted
       SET_TESTING_ITERATIONS(integer)
       //sets clean environment on or off - may be omitted
       SET_ENVIRONMENT(boolean)
   
       // use following macros to encapsulate chaching
       // of tested code - may be omitted
       BEGIN_CACHING
       // put both tested code blocks here
       FINISH_CACHING
   
       // this is the actual test
       EXEBLOCK_A
       // put first tested code block here
       EXEBLOCK_B
       // put second tested code block here
       EVALUATE
   
       //-------------------------------------------------------------
       // end of a single test
       //-------------------------------------------------------------
   
   CLOSE_BENCHMARK

4. Compile the project and run the benchmark:

   <appname> [[-f name | -c state | -a number | -i number] | [-h]]
   
        f - specify log file 'name', if you omit this parameter
            the default name 'benchmark.log' will be used
        c - runs the tests in 'state' 0 (dirty) or 1 (clean)
            if you have hard coded the 'states' of your tests,
            this parameter has no effect
        a - sets the global 'number' of caching iterations,
            if you have hard coded this value for your tests,
            this parameter has no effect
        i - sets the global 'number' of testing iterations,
            if you have hard coded this value for your tests,
            this parameter has no effect
        h - shows this help

Last Words

That's all. For further info on this topic take a look at the:

• Approximate Math Library for Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions.
• How to optimize for the Pentium family of microprocessors, By Agner Fog, Ph.D. Copyright © 1996 - 2004.