Semi-automated loop transformations in eclipse

Abstract

Loop transformations have been used by compilers to optimize the performance of codes. However, it is difficult for the compiler to determine the best loop transformations due to code complexity. In this project, a tool was developed to provide users with an efficient method to perform loop transformations to optimize their code.

The tool consists of a user interface which allow users to easily perform loop transformation and to view the performance gained. Invalid loop transformations would also be shown to the user to ensure the correctness of the original program. A semi-automated loop transformation was also implemented to automate the process of finding the best loop transformations.

By providing users with a method to perform loop transformations, the cases where the compiler is unable to perform loop transformation due to code complexity can be prevented. The semi-automated loop transformation also provides a choice for the user to decide if the loop transformation is profitable depending on their application needs.

Through several tests performed on various benchmarks using the semi-automated transformation function, improvements in execution time, ranging from 1.5 to 5 times faster than the original execution time, was observed for some of the benchmarks.