Re: Avoid treating the stack as an array [Re: "Back & Forth" is back!]

On Wed, 11 Sep 2024 9:20:14 +0000, Hans Bezemer wrote:

Tips:
- Use multiple Return Stack registers (R@, R'@, R"@);
- If parameters come in duplets or triplets, use corresponding stack
operators (3DUP, 3OVER, 3DROP);
- Reorganize parameters at the *very start* of the program in a more
palatable order. It saves stack juggling later on;
- Maybe a strange one, but codify stack patterns!
   E.g. SPIN ( a b c -- c b a)
        STOW ( a b -- a a b)
        RISE ( a b c -- b a c)
>
It helps you to THINK in these patterns and more easily recognize them.
It depends highly on your coding habits, so it helps to analyze your
legacy code to see if they often occur.

Good advice if you can access the return stack directly.
Otherwise, for non-trivial words, it is preferable to let the compiler
recognise patterns and save your precious human time. If the compiled
code is too bad, profile and optimise it afterwards.