I have an AWK script that I can run that basically searches through a
file looking for match using this script:

"BEGIN { FOUND=0; } /^[0]*1547/ { FOUND=1; print; next; } /^\/\// { if
(FOUND) { print; next } else { next } } { if (FOUND) { exit } else {
next } } " filename

Using AWK this process takes about .85 seconds to execute.

I have (based on very limited PERL knowledge) translated the above
script into the following PERL script:

$found = 0;
if (! open (MSGFILE, "<$errfile"))
{
  print "ERROR - Can't open error message file $errfile...exiting\n";
  exit;

while (<MSGFILE>)
{
  if ($found == 0)
  {
    if ($_ =~ /^[0]*1547/)
    {
      $found=1;
      print "$_";
    }
  }
  else
  {
    if ($_ =~ /^\/\//)
    {
      print "$_";
    }
    else
    {
      last;
    }
  }

close MSGFILE;

Using PERL it now takes somewhere around 3 seconds to exeucte. I assume
that this is due to PERL reading the file sequentially line-by-line. I
don't know how AWK processes the file, but it is obviously much faster.

Does anyone have an alternative way to write this script so that it will
run faster?

Email preferred but not required!

--
Thanks,
================================================================
Mike Campbell                  Phone:    1-800-603-5500 x5472

Intergraph Corp.               Fax:      (205)730-1110
Huntsville, AL 35894-0001      Mailstop: CR071

: I have an AWK script that I can run that basically searches through a
: file looking for match using this script:

: "BEGIN { FOUND=0; } /^[0]*1547/ { FOUND=1; print; next; } /^\/\// { if
: (FOUND) { print; next } else { next } } { if (FOUND) { exit } else {
: next } } " filename

: Using AWK this process takes about .85 seconds to execute.

: I have (based on very limited PERL knowledge) translated the above
: script into the following PERL script:

[script deleted]

: Does anyone have an alternative way to write this script so that it will
: run faster?

Depending on your CPU and I/O speed, part of the difference is
Perl's load time -- you can't get around that.  But this should
cut your number of ops per line down, especially on that critical
first loop:

        open(MSGFILE, "$errfile") ||
          die "ERROR - Can't open error message file $errfile...exiting\n";

        while (<MSGFILE>) {
            (print, last) if /^[0]*1547/;
        }

        while (<MSGFILE>) {
            (print, next) if m#//#;
            last;
        }

        close MSGFILE;

Of course my awk (and system!) may not be as fast as yours, but on a
38,400 line file, with the match at line 38,000, this was awk:

        bill:/tmp% date; awk -f test.awk < test.words ; date
        Tue Feb 27 15:18:11 EST 1996
        00001547
        //
        //
        //
        Tue Feb 27 15:19:06 EST 1996
        bill:/tmp%

This was Perl, with my program above:

        bill:/tmp% date ; perl test.pl < test.words ; date
        Tue Feb 27 15:22:19 EST 1996
        00001547
        //
        //
        //
        Tue Feb 27 15:22:23 EST 1996
        bill:/tmp%

4 seconds for Perl vice 47 seconds for awk.  I don't know if
it is the awk on my Linux, but....

--
Regards,
Mike Heins     [mailed and posted]  http://www.iac.net/~mikeh ___       ___
                                    Internet Robotics        |_ _|____ |_ _|
Few blame themselves until they     131 Willow Lane, Floor 2  | ||  _ \ | |
have exhausted all other            Oxford, OH  45056         | || |_) || |
possibilities.                                               |___|  _ <|___|

Get a life