[ADMB Users] Summary -> ADMB V11.0 build (compile/link) time using MinGW or Visual C++ 2010 Express in Windows 7 (32 bit) - very slow

[Larry Jacobson (NOAA Federal)]

My original question concerned speeding up ADMB builds using the MingGW 
and Microsoft 2010 Express compilers with ADMB V11.0 on a 32 bit Windows 
computer.

Rick Methot, Jim Ianelli, Alen Hicks, Johnoel Ancheta and Dave Fournier 
responded.  All suggested reducing the level of optimization with the 
cpp program gets compiled.  This is done in the adcomp.bat file.

Turning off optimization works wonders for compile time and has modest 
effects on run time. Build time with the Microsoft compiler dropped from 
8.25 minutes to 0.13 minutes (not a typo!) and the run time increased by 
only 0.17 minutes.  Build time with the MinGW compiler dropped from 1.75 
minutes to 1 minute and the run time decreased by about 0.25 minutes 
(surprising but the MinGW web site said this can happen and my results 
varied a bit from trial to trial). Some results are summarized in a 
bitmap table below.

I wouldn't say that there was a clear winner between Microsoft and 
MinGW.  It depends on the optimization level and whether you are 
interested in time to build or time to run.  Both are free...

Rick Methot got the same results building the Stock Synthesis model 
using the Microsoft compiler. Getting rid of the optimization shortened 
the build time a lot but had little effect on run times.

Johnoel Ancheta indicated that the ADMBTeam is currently working on this 
issue also.

Dave Fournier recommended getting a new computer or running in Linux. I 
use the Linux option pretty routinely for ADMB models (for speed) but 
didn't test it here.  I have noticed that the compile times on Linux are 
longish too and I bet they get much shorter when the optimization level 
is reduced.  I agree with him about the new computer but with 
sequestration etc. on the horizon it is not going to happen.

Alan Hicks recommended (several times) using reduced optimization for 
debugging/programming and full optimization for releases. Sounds like a 
good idea to me. Some care seems advisable because turning off the 
optimization may have unintended side effects.  I shouldn't have any 
effect on error checking during the compilation step but what do I know?


Thanks everyone and cheers!



-- 
**********************
Larry Jacobson
National Marine Fisheries Service
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026
Voice: 508-495-2317
Fax: 508-495-2393
E-mail: larry.jacobson at noaa.gov
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-- 
**********************
Larry Jacobson
National Marine Fisheries Service
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026
Voice: 508-495-2317
Fax: 508-495-2393
E-mail: larry.jacobson at noaa.gov
**********************