Re: [Gcl-devel] Re: GCL on Zaurus SL-6000 under Debian

[Camm Maguire]

Greetings!

"Bill Page" <address@hidden> writes:

> Camm,
> 
> On Monday, October 11, 2004 12:34 PM you wrote:
> >
> > I think you've pinned it here.  The virtual memory size
> > of the gcl default build is 81Mb, and you only have 62.
> > ...  
> > The default hole size is 1/10 MAXPAGES, which with the
> > default maxpage setting is 52Mb.  It is not actually in
> > use until allocated, but the space must be available
> > nonetheless.  Not sure how tiny axiom itself can be made,
> > but you can shrink the hole size, giving you finer grained
> > increments to the growing heap at the expense of gc time,
> > if things really get tight.
> 
> So, if I set --enable-maxpage=64*1024, then the default
> hole size would be --enable-holepage=6*1024, right? How
> small can I practically make it?
>  

You can set it to whatever you want with
--enable-holepage=.... ./configure --help gives all the options.  If a
heap grows from x to y with holepage z, a gc will be triggered at
least (y-x)/z times.

> > Wondering if you can just setup a swapfile over nfs to
> > see if the default binary will work for you.
> 
> I am willing to try but I have never done this. Can you
> given me a few (explicit) tips how to proceed? It is
> also apparently possible for me to connect a usb disk
> drive to this BIG MACHINE in the small box (: Yes, I am
> very impressed by the SL-6000! :) There is a nice little
> 40 Gbyte drive that runs directly off the usb power for
> about $200. Perhaps I will run down to the store when
> it is open again tomorrow...
> 

See my previous post re: nbd.  I think there is a good howto on the
net.  Please write back if you don't find it and I'll take a look.

> Maybe I should just admit that running Axiom isn't (quite)
> practical on this system unless I can add swap space?
> But as a continued challenge, I note that I can run Clisp
> and maxima under Clisp in much less space without swap.
> 
        
This is something we can work on if we agree it is a priority.  GCL
has recently redesigned its default memory layout parameters for
speed.  We are therefore a bit more generous with allocations than we
used to be, but still small relative to cmucl and the like, I think.
two word cons, copying gc algorithm for all types, etc. provide quite
a bit of room for shrinkage.  We've tried to aim for the best
compromise for today's average computer.

> > > ... 
> > > So, anyway I am now running an Axiom build with 
> > > 
> > > # ./configure --enable-vssize=65536*2 --disable-statsysbfd \
> > >   --enable-locbfd --enable-maxpage=64*1024
> > > 
> > > I will let you know how (if) it finishes some time tomorrow.
> > > 
> > 
> > You probably won't succeed, but might just luck out.  The
> > AXIOMsys virtual memory size is actually a little less than
> > the default gcl vmsize, as it shaves off 4k pages from the
> > relocatable area to more than compensate for the expanded
> > number of pages for cells:
> >
> 
> Well you were right. The build stopped apparently at the point
> were it was about to create depsys (it built bootsys ok). See
> the build log below. Does the message "Can't allocate buffer"
> tell you anything specific about memory?
>  

Well, that you are out of it :-)  You failed at mmaping the space for
the final image save in unexec.

> > ... 
> > I get 74Mb.  Can you get some swap somewhere?  My test arm
> > machine has the same amount of ram, but generous swap at 256M,
> > which is certainly overkill for the present purpose.
> >
> 
> Yes, tomorrow.
> 
> Regards,
> Bill Page.
> 

Take care,

> -------
> 
> tail of build.log:
> 
> ...
> Loading /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/c-util.o
> start address -T 0x2064000 Finished loading
> /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/c-util.
> o
> Compiling /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/g-util.lsp.
> ; (DEFUN |reshape| ...) is being compiled.
> ;; Warning: The variable |b| is not used.
> ; (DEFUN |update| ...) is being compiled.
> ;; The variable /VERSION is undefined.
> ;; The compiler will assume this variable is a global.
> ;; The variable /WSNAME is undefined.
> ;; The compiler will assume this variable is a global.
> ; (DEFUN |spadThrow| ...) is being compiled.
> ;; The variable |$interpOnly| is undefined.
> ;; The compiler will assume this variable is a global.
> ;; The variable |$mapName| is undefined.
> ;; The compiler will assume this variable is a global.
> ; (DEFUN |semchkProplist| ...) is being compiled.
> ;; Warning: The variable |val| is not used.
> ; (DEFUN |leftTrim| ...) is being compiled.
> ;; The variable |$blank| is undefined.
> ;; The compiler will assume this variable is a global.
> End of Pass 1.
> End of Pass 2.
> OPTIMIZE levels: Safety=0 (No runtime error checking), Space=0, Speed=3
> Finished compiling /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/g-util.o.
> Loading /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/g-util.o
> start address -T 0x2088000 Finished loading
> /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/g-util.
> o
> Finished loading /root/axiom/obj/linux/interp/makedep.lisp
> Can't allocate buffer for /root/axiom/obj/linux/bin/lisp
> make[3]: *** [/root/axiom/obj/linux/bin/depsys] Error 1
> make[3]: Leaving directory `/root/axiom/src/interp'
> make[2]: *** [interpdir] Error 2
> make[1]: *** [srcdir] Error 2
> make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/axiom/src'
> make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/axiom'
> make: *** [all] Error 2
> /root/axiom#
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Camm Maguire                                            address@hidden
==========================================================================
"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."  --  Baha'u'llah