Becoming a console programmer : Math Libraries Part 2

Implementation

Generally speaking implementation of a math library is not determined by the programmer DOING the implementation but by the clients of the system and the platforms that require support.

Given the myriad targets currently available AND the similarly complex client base i always recommend a relatively complex abstraction built on simple rules:

• separate the client facing api into semantic types
• define those types using platform specific typedefs or defines
• implement using a cross platform api with platform specific implementations.

for example we might want the client to use matrix, point, vector and proxy type for float constants.

the semantic types define their functionality in terms of the low level api which in turn defines a set of common operations that all the semantic types can use at will. This means that to provide support for a new platform for ALL semantic types (which there are usually far more than 4) the programmer simply has to satisfy the lowest level api.

That low level api is typically relatively small providing wrappers for some of the basic operations such as add, mul, madd, permute, shuffle/vsel etc whilst also implementing some of the more complex but common operations such as normalize, permute_operation etc.

To flesh things out for the client side the programmer should define operators and functions that provide mathematically sensible and desirable operations such as

• vector = point - point,
• point = point + vector * scale.

the proxy type mentioned above would be a simd representation of a single float allowing the math itself to remain in registers.

The key to maintaining long mathematically complex code in registers is in ensuring the semantic types are well defined within themselves and as a whole.

there is a lot more to be said on the subject of math libraries however without infringing on company policies both new and old i cannot expand further. The above should however provide a good start and from there a good programmer will run with it and discover for themselves the rest.

enjoy.