benchmark: loop test - integer vs. constant vs. llGetListLength()

I ran a benchmark on FOR loops.

3 test cases varied the upper bounds index of the loop.

The idea was to compare how loop times differ between using different upper bounds types - constant, integer, and function.

In the case I tested, I used a list of 100 items, and did a simple if/else comparison on one member of the list as an iteration of the loop.

my output:

As you see, it is significantly longer to be checking llGetListLength() every time for the bounds check on the loop. It's much more efficient to either hard-code the loop length, or to set a variable to the llGetListLength() before the loop, and then use that integer variable as the bounds check.

list test = [];
default
{
    state_entry()
    {
        integer c;
        for(c=0;c<100;++c)
        {
            test += "blah blah";
        }
    }

    touch_start(integer total_number)
    {
        llOwnerSay("Time test start.");
        integer c;
        float startTime;
        float stopTime;
        float dif;
        
        
        startTime = llGetTime();
        for(c=0;c<100;++c)
        {
            if("testing" == llList2String(test,c)) {llOwnerSay("This will never happen.");}
            else{   }
        }
        stopTime = llGetTime();
        dif = stopTime - startTime;
        llOwnerSay("constant test:"+(string)dif);
        

        startTime = llGetTime();
        for(c=0;c<llGetListLength(test);++c)
        {
            if("testing" == llList2String(test,c)) {llOwnerSay("This will never happen.");}
            else{   }
        }
        stopTime = llGetTime();
        dif = stopTime - startTime;
        llOwnerSay("function time:"+(string)dif);


        startTime = llGetTime();
        integer len = llGetListLength(test);
        for(c=0;c<len;++c)
        {
            if("testing" == llList2String(test,c)) {llOwnerSay("This will never happen.");}
            else{   }
        }
        stopTime = llGetTime();
        dif = stopTime - startTime;
        llOwnerSay("integer time:"+(string)dif);        
        
    }
}

I hadn't mentioned this in my optimization thread... i sorta thought it went without saying. But good to point out.