Find Prime Numbers using time.h in C

[Kalouste]

I've written an algorithm that has the following goal: finding all prime numbers up to a specified integer. I've made two different algorithms actually: on one hand, I've used the concept beyond the ancient sieve of eratosthenes; on the other, I've used a function called isprime() that tests if a number is prime. For instance, let's say I want to determine which method is faster. So I need to time a piece of code in each algorithm.

As an example, here's the code of the first algorithm:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <time.h>

int isprime(int num);

int main () {
int n, num;
time_t t1, t2;

printf("Enter a number\n");

while (scanf("%d", &n) != 1) {
printf("Error: Try again.\n");
	while (getchar() != '\n')
		;
		}

printf("Prime numbers\n");

time(&t1);

for (num = 2; num <= n; num += 1) {
if (isprime(num) == 1)
printf("%d\n", num);

}

time(&t2); 
printf("Time elapsed: %f ms\n", (float)(t2-t1));

return 0;
}

I've omitted the isprime() function definition, because I felt it's unnecessary. The problem with this approach is that my computer writes the numbers so rapidly that I probably will need to write the time in milliseconds if I wanted the algorithm to write every prime number up to a small number, as 11. Is there a function that allows me to do that?
Thank you on advance.

Links I've consulted

"[URL

 

[Hurkyl]

There is the clock() function. But if you want really accurate timing, your best bet is to do one of the following: (I think (1) is the most reliable)

(1) Wrap your code in a loop and repeat it a few thousand times (or million, as necessary), so that the elapsed time is measured in seconds or minutes.

(2) Use a profiling tool.

(3) Try and find an API for the high-performance timer provided by your operating system.



Incidentally, there are two problems with your code:
(1) Printing the primes to screen is probably more time-consuming than the calls to isprime().

(2) On the final printf(...) call, you told it to print an int value (%d), but passed it a float.

 

[MeJennifer]

Note though that the clock() function measures the cpu time not the elapsed time.

 

[Kalouste]

(2) On the final printf(...) call, you told it to print an int value (%d), but passed it a float.

Sorry for that, didn't notice.

About the clock() function I will try to use it. I found an interesting thread about that function http://www.thescripts.com/forum/thread213478.html" . When I come up with a fully functional solution I will post it. The (3) solution will also be considered. I didn't know about the existence of 'profiling tools', so I just learned something. Thank you for the suggestions.

 

[haki]

you have figured out by now, if not maybe this can help

#include <ctime>

clock_t cstart = clock();
...
clock_t cend = clock();

double millis = 1000.0 * (cend - cstart) / CLOCKS_PER_SEC;

 

[Kalouste]

The clock() function returns, as MeJennifer stated before, the cpu time which is less than the elapsed time (recall Hurkyl's post: 'Printing the primes to screen is probably more time-consuming than the calls to isprime()'). So I tried this solution, which seems to work although it's not extremely accurate, as one could desire (nor is the clock() function: it returns 0.00000 s cpu time if the computation is done too fast):

#include <sys/times.h>
#include <sys/wait.h>

  static clock_t st_time;
  static clock_t en_time;
  static struct tms st_cpu;
  static struct tms en_cpu;

  st_time = times(&st_cpu);
  ...
  en_time = times(&en_cpu);

printf("Time elapsed: %ld ms\n", (en_time - st_time));

Example: Print all primes up to 200.
Cpu_time: 0.000000 s
Time elapsed: 0 s (using <time.h>)
Time elapsed: 15 ms (using struct)

http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/highperformancetimercshar.asp"