Binary Search vs SEARCH ALL

• Oct 22, 2005

• Thread starter
• #2

cobolenterprise

Programmer

Oct 22, 2005

2

US

Nested IFs, I mean using coding Binary search algorithm (using High, Low, Mid checks) ...........

 

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• Oct 22, 2005

• #3

Crox

Programmer

Apr 3, 2000

895

NL

The search all is a binary search. That is the fastest way if you have to find random info. If you have sorted info, you can perhaps use a balance-line approach which will be faster if the data is sorted. So it depends on your situation. The binary search will never be bad.

 

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• Oct 22, 2005

• #4

Glenn9999

Programmer

Jun 19, 2004

2,312

US

It depends on what kind of approach the SEARCH ALL is coded. As people in these fora have been fond of telling me, SEARCH ALL doesn't have to equal "binary search", but the data have to be SORTED somehow for the SEARCH ALL to be relevant. So for the OP, the proper answer is "your mileage may vary, but it's going to be much better than SEARCH as long as your data are sorted.

 

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• Oct 23, 2005

• #5

k5tm

Programmer

Aug 24, 2001

2,038

US

You see, Glenn, you are teachable! :-D Good post!

Tom Morrison

http://www.liant.com

 

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• Oct 23, 2005

• #6

slade

Programmer

Jun 11, 2000

823

US

Another approach that can pay dividends depending on how well you know your data (e.g. 25 % of the searches are for a specific key) is to an if stmt or whatever before the search.

IF ARG = KEYX MOVE TBL-DATA(KEYX) etc...
ELSE
SEARCH TBL-X...

Another efficiency trick is to move the tbl entry to a ws field and then use the ws field from that point on.

Regards, Jack.

"A problem well stated is a problem half solved" -- Charles F. Kettering

 

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