Expert: Joseph Moore - 8/12/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have written this code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>
#include <fstream>
#include <stdlib.h>//(for atoi to work)

using namespace std;

void usage()
{
  cout << "Usage: <input1> <input2> <output>\n";
  cout << "\n see README for more details.\n";
  exit(1);
}

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
  cout << "\nshmoosh - concatenates and uniques wordlists into one\n";

  if(argc!=4)
     usage();

  vector<string> vec_wordlist_compilation;

///////////////////////////input1//////////////////////////////

  ifstream wordlistfile(argv[1]);
  if(!wordlistfile.is_open())
  {
     cout<<"\nError opening file \'"<<argv[1]<<"\'\n";
     exit(1);
  }
  int x=0;
  string word;
  while(getline(wordlistfile,word)){
     vec_wordlist_compilation.push_back(word);
     x++;
  }
  cout << x << " words loaded from file \'"<<argv[1]<<"\'\n";

  wordlistfile.close();

///////////////////////////input2//////////////////////////////

  ifstream wordlistfiletwo(argv[2]);
  if(!wordlistfiletwo.is_open())
  {
     cout<<"\nError opening file \'"<<argv[2]<<"\'\n";
     exit(1);
  }
  int v=0;
  while(getline(wordlistfiletwo,word)){
     vec_wordlist_compilation.push_back(word);
     v++;
  }
  cout << v << " words loaded from file \'"<<argv[2]<<"\'\n";

  wordlistfiletwo.close();

////////////////////////////sort//////////////////////////////
  cout << "\nsorting " << v+x << " words, removing duplicates...\n";

  //sort vector (least to greatest)...
  sort(vec_wordlist_compilation.begin(),vec_wordlist_compilation.end());
  //remove duplicates...
  

vec_wordlist_compilation.resize((unique(vec_wordlist_compilation.begin(),vec_wordlist_compilation.end()))-vec_wordlist_compil

ation.begin());

  /*for(unsigned int c=0;c<vec_wordlist_compilation.size();c++)
     cout << vec_wordlist_compilation[c] << "\n";*/
  cout << vec_wordlist_compilation.size() << " unique words remain.\n";

////////////////////////////output//////////////////////////////

  ofstream output(argv[3]);
  for(unsigned int c=0;c<vec_wordlist_compilation.size();c++)
     output << vec_wordlist_compilation[c] << "\n";

return 0;
}

it's purpose is to join two wordlists into one and remove duplicate words. The problem is, being a 32-bit program, it can only access 2GB of my 8GB of RAM. I want to compile it in 64-bit mode, enabling it to access all of my RAM.

First off, can this code be compiled in 64-bit mode? Would I have to actually modify the source code?

Second, I was told that it was impossible to configure my compiler (Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition) to compile in 64-bit mode. I was told I would have to purchase Professional Edition. Is this true? If it is true, and compilation in 64-bit mode is as simple as compiler reconfiguration, I was wondering if you could find time to compile this code in 64-bit mode using professional edition, since I cannot afford it. It uses the BigInteger library (http://mattmccutchen.net/bigint/)and I think the BigInteger library is 64-bit capable, but I may be wrong.

Of course, if it is more complicated than this, I understand and will look somewhere else.

ANSWER: Visual Studio Express edition does not include 64-bit compilation, you are correct.  There are certain options (such as the 64-bit compiler) that are only included in Visual Studio Professional.  If you happen to be a student, I recommend getting a student-discount copy of Visual Studio Professional.  I'm going to try to compile the code into a 64-bit executable for you, and barring that, I'll see if I can't find a way for you to compile 64-bit on your own without requiring VS Pro.  Please send me a followup so that I can get the results back to you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you. Yeah, actually, the program doesn't use the BigInteger library at all. I am just so used to using it in my applications - I must have been looking at the source for something else. I heard GNU G++ can compile in 64-bit mode, but I need a Windows executable and I don't know if I can do that. If you make any modifications to the source, could you send that, too? Thank you for your time!

Answer
OK, I compiled a debug and a release version.  I didn't have to touch the source code at all, and I did verify that it's a 64-bit exe.  The files have been rared together and stored here:

http://www.filedropper.com/x64

Let me know if you need anything else!