README revision 58551 
1While teaching a data structures course at University of California,
2Irvine, I developed a program called GPERF that generates perfect hash
3functions for sets of key words.  A perfect hash function is simply:
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5          A hash function and a data structure that allows 
6          recognition of a key word in a set of words using 
7          exactly 1 probe into the data structure.
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9The gperf.texinfo file explains how the program works, the form of the
10input, what options are available, and hints on choosing the best
11options for particular key word sets.  The texinfo file is readable
12both via the GNU emacs `info' command, and is also suitable for
13typesetting with TeX.
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15The enclosed Makefile creates the executable program ``gperf'' and
16also runs some tests.
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18Output from the GPERF program is used to recognize reserved words in
19the GNU C, GNU C++, and GNU Pascal compilers, as well as with the GNU
20indent program.
21
22Happy hacking!
23
24Douglas C. Schmidt
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