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NAME

MCE::Examples - A list of examples demonstrating Many-core Engine

VERSION

This document describes MCE::Examples version 1.499_002

DESCRIPTION

MCE comes with various examples showing real-world use case scenarios on parallelizing something as small as cat (try with -n) to searching for patterns and word count aggregation.

INCLUDED with DISTRIBUTION

barrier_sync.pl
A barrier sync demonstration.
cat.pl Concatenation script, similar to the cat binary.
egrep.pl Egrep script, similar to the egrep binary.
wc.pl Word count script, similar to the wc binary.
findnull.pl
A parallel driven script to report lines containing
null fields. It's many times faster than the binary
egrep command. Try against a large file containing
very long lines.
foreach.pl, forseq.pl, forchunk.pl
These take the same sqrt example from Parallel::Loops
and measures the overhead of the engine. The number
indicates the size of @input which can be submitted
and results displayed in under 1 second.
Parallel::Loops is based on Parallel::ForkManager.
MCE utilizes a pool of workers.
Parallel::Loops: 600 Forking each @input is expensive
MCE foreach....: 34,000 Sends result after each @input
MCE forseq.....: 70,000 Loops through sequence of numbers
MCE forchunk...: 465,000 Chunking reduces overhead
interval.pl
Demonstration of the interval option appearing in MCE 1.5.
matmult/matmult_base.pl, matmult_mce.pl, strassen_mce.pl
Various matrix multiplication demonstrations benchmarking
PDL, PDL + MCE, as well as parallelizing Strassen's
divide-and-conquer algorithm. Also included are 2 plain
Perl examples.
scaling_pings.pl
Perform ping test and report back failing IPs to
standard output.
seq_demo.pl
A demonstration of the new sequence option appearing
in MCE 1.3. Run with seq_demo.pl | sort
tbray/wf_mce1.pl, wf_mce2.pl, wf_mce3.pl
An implementation of wide finder utilizing MCE.
As fast as MMAP IO when file resides in OS FS cache.
2x ~ 3x faster when reading directly from disk.

CHUNK_SIZE => 1 (in essence, wanting no chunking on input data)

Imagine a long running process and wanting to parallelize an array against a pool of workers. Note: The sequence option can be used if simply wanting to loop through a sequence of numbers in parallel one number at a time.

Below, a callback function for displaying results is used. The logic shows how one can display results immediately while still preserving the output order as if processing serially. The %result hash is a temporary cache to store results for out-of-order replies.

my @input_data = (0 .. 18000 - 1);
my $max_workers = 3;
my $order_id = 1;
my %result;
## Callback function for displaying results.
sub display_result {
my ($wk_result, $chunk_id) = @_;
$result{$chunk_id} = $wk_result;
while (1) {
last unless (exists $result{$order_id});
printf "i: %d sqrt(i): %f\n",
$input_data[$order_id - 1], $result{$order_id};
delete $result{$order_id};
$order_id++;
}
}
## Compute via MCE.
my $mce = MCE->new(
input_data => \@input_data,
max_workers => $max_workers,
chunk_size => 1,
user_func => sub {
my ($self, $chunk_ref, $chunk_id) = @_;
my $wk_result = sqrt($chunk_ref->[0]);
MCE->do('display_result', $wk_result, $chunk_id);
}
);
MCE->run();

FOREACH sugar METHOD

## Compute via MCE. Foreach implies chunk_size => 1.
my $mce = MCE->new(
max_workers => $max_workers
);
## Worker calls code block passing a reference to an array containing
## one item. Use $chunk_ref->[0] to retrieve the single element.
MCE->foreach(\@input_data, sub {
my ($self, $chunk_ref, $chunk_id) = @_;
my $wk_result = sqrt($chunk_ref->[0]);
MCE->do('display_result', $wk_result, $chunk_id);
});

CHUNKING INPUT_DATA

Chunking reduces overhead many folds. Instead of passing a single item from @input_data, a chunk of $chunk_size is sent to the next available worker. The sequence option can be used as well if simply wanting to loop through a sequence of numbers with chunking applied in parallel.

my @input_data = (0 .. 385000 - 1);
my $max_workers = 3;
my $chunk_size = 500;
my $order_id = 1;
my %result;
## Callback function for displaying results.
sub display_result {
my ($wk_result, $chunk_id) = @_;
$result{$chunk_id} = $wk_result;
while (1) {
last unless (exists $result{$order_id});
my $i = ($order_id - 1) * $chunk_size;
foreach ( @{ $result{$order_id} } ) {
printf "i: %d sqrt(i): %f\n", $input_data[$i++], $_;
}
delete $result{$order_id};
$order_id++;
}
}
## Compute via MCE.
my $mce = MCE->new(
input_data => \@input_data,
max_workers => $max_workers,
chunk_size => $chunk_size,
user_func => sub {
my ($self, $chunk_ref, $chunk_id) = @_;
my @wk_result;
foreach ( @{ $chunk_ref } ) {
push @wk_result, sqrt($_);
}
MCE->do('display_result', \@wk_result, $chunk_id);
}
);
MCE->run();

FORCHUNK sugar METHOD

## Compute via MCE.
my $mce = MCE->new(
max_workers => $max_workers,
chunk_size => $chunk_size
);
## Below, $chunk_ref is a reference to an array containing the next
## $chunk_size items from @input_data.
MCE->forchunk(\@input_data, sub {
my ($self, $chunk_ref, $chunk_id) = @_;
my @wk_result;
foreach ( @{ $chunk_ref } ) {
push @wk_result, sqrt($_);
}
MCE->do('display_result', \@wk_result, $chunk_id);
});

DEMO APPLYING SEQUENCES WITH USER_TASKS

One may specify the sequence option per each task. The following is taken directly from the seq_demo.pl example. Think of the following demonstration as having 3 mini-MCEs running simultaneously in parallel. Chunking can also be configured independently as well.

use MCE;
## Run with seq_demo.pl | sort
sub user_func {
my ($self, $seq_n, $chunk_id) = @_;
my $wid = MCE->wid();
my $task_id = MCE->task_id();
my $task_wid = MCE->task_wid();
if (ref $seq_n eq 'ARRAY') {
## Received the next "chunked" sequence of numbers
## e.g. when chunk_size > 1, $seq_n will be an array ref above
foreach (@{ $seq_n }) {
printf(
"task_id %d: seq_n %s: chunk_id %d: wid %d: task_wid %d\n",
$task_id, $_, $chunk_id, $wid, $task_wid
);
}
}
else {
printf(
"task_id %d: seq_n %s: chunk_id %d: wid %d: task_wid %d\n",
$task_id, $seq_n, $chunk_id, $wid, $task_wid
);
}
}
## Each task can be configured independently.
my $mce = MCE->new(
user_tasks => [{
max_workers => 2,
chunk_size => 1,
sequence => { begin => 11, end => 19, step => 1 },
user_func => \&user_func
},{
max_workers => 2,
chunk_size => 5,
sequence => { begin => 21, end => 29, step => 1 },
user_func => \&user_func
},{
max_workers => 2,
chunk_size => 3,
sequence => { begin => 31, end => 39, step => 1 },
user_func => \&user_func
}]
);
MCE->run();
-- Output
task_id 0: seq_n 11: chunk_id 1: wid 1: task_wid 1
task_id 0: seq_n 12: chunk_id 2: wid 2: task_wid 2
task_id 0: seq_n 13: chunk_id 3: wid 1: task_wid 1
task_id 0: seq_n 14: chunk_id 4: wid 2: task_wid 2
task_id 0: seq_n 15: chunk_id 5: wid 1: task_wid 1
task_id 0: seq_n 16: chunk_id 6: wid 2: task_wid 2
task_id 0: seq_n 17: chunk_id 7: wid 1: task_wid 1
task_id 0: seq_n 18: chunk_id 8: wid 2: task_wid 2
task_id 0: seq_n 19: chunk_id 9: wid 1: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 21: chunk_id 1: wid 3: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 22: chunk_id 1: wid 3: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 23: chunk_id 1: wid 3: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 24: chunk_id 1: wid 3: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 25: chunk_id 1: wid 3: task_wid 1
task_id 1: seq_n 26: chunk_id 2: wid 4: task_wid 2
task_id 1: seq_n 27: chunk_id 2: wid 4: task_wid 2
task_id 1: seq_n 28: chunk_id 2: wid 4: task_wid 2
task_id 1: seq_n 29: chunk_id 2: wid 4: task_wid 2
task_id 2: seq_n 31: chunk_id 1: wid 5: task_wid 1
task_id 2: seq_n 32: chunk_id 1: wid 5: task_wid 1
task_id 2: seq_n 33: chunk_id 1: wid 5: task_wid 1
task_id 2: seq_n 34: chunk_id 2: wid 6: task_wid 2
task_id 2: seq_n 35: chunk_id 2: wid 6: task_wid 2
task_id 2: seq_n 36: chunk_id 2: wid 6: task_wid 2
task_id 2: seq_n 37: chunk_id 3: wid 5: task_wid 1
task_id 2: seq_n 38: chunk_id 3: wid 5: task_wid 1
task_id 2: seq_n 39: chunk_id 3: wid 5: task_wid 1

MULTIPLE WORKERS RUNNING IN PARALLEL

Both input_data and sequence options are optional in MCE. One can simply use MCE to parallelize multiple workers. The "do" & "sendto" methods can be used to pass data back to the manager process. One doesn't have to wait until the worker has completed processing to pass data back. Both "do" & "sendto" methods are processed serially by the main process on a first come, first serve basis. All 4 workers run in parallel for the demonstration below.

use MCE;
sub report_stats {
my ($wid, $msg, $hash_ref) = @_;
print "Worker $wid says $msg: ", $hash_ref->{'counter'}, "\n";
}
my $mce = MCE->new(
max_workers => 4,
user_func => sub {
my ($self) = @_;
my $wid = MCE->wid();
if ($wid == 1) {
my %hash = ('counter' => 0);
while (1) {
$hash{'counter'} += 1;
MCE->do('report_stats', $wid, 'Hello there', \%hash);
last if ($hash{'counter'} == 4);
sleep 2;
}
}
else {
my %hash = ('counter' => 0);
while (1) {
$hash{'counter'} += 1;
MCE->do('report_stats', $wid, 'Welcome ...', \%hash);
last if ($hash{'counter'} == 2);
sleep 4;
}
}
MCE->sendto('stdout', "Worker $wid is exiting\n");
}
);
MCE->run;
Worker 2 gets there first in 2nd output below.
$ ./demo.pl
Worker 1 says Hello there: 1
Worker 2 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 3 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 4 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 1 says Hello there: 2
Worker 2 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 3 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 1 says Hello there: 3
Worker 2 is exiting
Worker 3 is exiting
Worker 4 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 4 is exiting
Worker 1 says Hello there: 4
Worker 1 is exiting
$ ./demo.pl
Worker 2 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 1 says Hello there: 1
Worker 4 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 3 says Welcome ...: 1
Worker 1 says Hello there: 2
Worker 2 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 4 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 3 says Welcome ...: 2
Worker 2 is exiting
Worker 4 is exiting
Worker 1 says Hello there: 3
Worker 3 is exiting
Worker 1 says Hello there: 4
Worker 1 is exiting

INDEX

MCE

AUTHOR

Mario E. Roy, <marioeroy AT gmail DOT com>

LICENSE

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either: the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; or the Artistic License.

See http://dev.perl.org/licenses/ for more information.