The Effect of Comments on Performance?

[JD]

Because I am a novice to UnrealScript and OOP programming, I like to use a lot of comments (//) in my code. Obviously these comments do increase the filesize of the packages they are contained in since the comments are included with the source code in the packages. However, do these comments affect the performance of the code when it is run? If the UnrealScript were interpreted or if it were compiled before each run, the comments would slow or delay execution to some degree. Whether it would be noticeable would depend on the speed of the PC. So, how does the Unreal 1 engine handle UnrealScript, and do comments affect performance?

[.:..:]

Comments have no effects on preformace, they only increase the filesize with 2-5 kb or what so ever and makes it easier to remind you what your codes are doing there.

[Tronovision]

I agree with .:.:

I am only speculating but I think that it would be similar for comments in web-code, which may cause some slowdown but probably on the level of a few nanoseconds.

[Smartball]

I agree with .:.:

I am only speculating but I think that it would be similar for comments in web-code, which may cause some slowdown but probably on the level of a few nanoseconds.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting you here but I think you're saying that comments (in UScript, I'm not talking about web languages) cause slow-down but it is so small that it is unnoticeable? If so, that is incorrect. Comments cause no slow-down because they have nothing to do with the compiled code inside of .u files. A .u file contains two elements:

1) The compiled code which is read and executed by the game and which does not contain comments of any kind
2) The text buffer that is a literal copy of whatever code was compiled to create the first element of the .u file

A .u file can exist perfectly fine without the text buffer, and in fact if you remove the text buffer from your compiled mods, the file size will drop significantly. UnrealEd displays the text buffer to you, not the compiled code. Realistically, the best way to do the coding is externally through .uc files and to remove the text buffer after compilation, but since the original poster said he was a beginner, it's best to leave in the text buffer and use the editor for now.

[Tronovision]

I don't doubt that you are right. I have little knowledge in scripting/coding and was just speculating... But I am glad that you said something (and it reminds me to not make comments about subjects when I am basically completely ignorant to them ). Cheers!

[Smartball]

I don't doubt that you are right. I have little knowledge in scripting/coding and was just speculating... But I am glad that you said something (and it reminds me to not make comments about subjects when I am basically completely ignorant to them ). Cheers!

I hope you don't think I responded with the intention of attacking you. I responded to make sure that the correct information is on here, that's all. In a web-based language what you said would most likely be correct since the entire source code (comments and all) gets interpreted right before it is actually executed. However, that is speculation on my part because that is an area where I am ignorant to the technicalities myself!

[Tronovision]

I hope you don't think I responded with the intention of attacking you. I responded to make sure that the correct information is on here, that's all.  In a web-based language what you said would most likely be correct since the entire source code (comments and all) gets interpreted right before it is actually executed. However, that is speculation on my part because that is an area where I am ignorant to the technicalities myself!

No offense taken at all (I know you were not trying to attack me). I just realised how redundant my initial statement was and that it was probably just misinformation.

[TCP_Wolf]

I don't doubt that you are right. I have little knowledge in scripting/coding and was just speculating... But I am glad that you said something (and it reminds me to  not make comments about subjects when I am basically completely ignorant to them  ;)). Cheers!

I hope you don't think I responded with the intention of attacking you. I responded to make sure that the correct information is on here, that's all. In a web-based language what you said would most likely be correct since the entire source code (comments and all) gets interpreted right before it is actually executed. However, that is speculation on my part because that is an area where I am ignorant to the technicalities myself!

Probably true but depending on each language. I would expect a slowdown for all directly interpreting languages, but every language that does a compilation of some sort would not suffer, since execution would take place on compiled code rather than source.

If you have a language of the latter case that "seems to run from source", because you can actually just change sources and these changes take effect immediately, then you will notice a slowdown only ONCE every time you make a change - that's when the (re)compilation occurs.

[DeapaWaspo]

Comments in script, especially C++ based scripting, DO NOT decrese performance... When compiled the comments are omitted as well as white space and only code remains. So basically use as much commenting and spacing you want in your code, All its going to do is make your files bigger. Performance will NOT be affected.

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

Idk about C++, but Java compiles everything (when you compile then decompile a class, comments are still there) but the comments themselves are skipped while interpreting. That probably slows it down a nanosecond.

[Bane]

Idk about C++, but Java compiles everything (when you compile then decompile a class, comments are still there) but the comments themselves are skipped while interpreting. That probably slows it down a nanosecond.

I don't know for sure, but Java is probably compiling the source and including a copy of the source code into the object file (much like how the .uc files are still available in the .u -- unless you delete them afterwards of course). Java can't actually be 'compiling' the comments because there is nothing to compile. I assume that the 'decompiling' is just extracting the plaintext script that was stored in the object file.

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

I will try: I will create a class with 1 line of code and 1337 lines of comments. W/e.