Limitations
It is not always possible to inline a subroutine. Consider the case of a subroutine that calls itself recursively until it receives a particular piece of input data from a peripheral. The compiler cannot generally determine when this process will end, so it would never finish inlining if it was designed to inline every single subroutine invocation. Thus, compilers for languages which support recursion must have restrictions on what they will automatically choose to inline.
Read more about this topic: Inline Expansion
Famous quotes containing the word limitations:
“No man could bring himself to reveal his true character, and, above all, his true limitations as a citizen and a Christian, his true meannesses, his true imbecilities, to his friends, or even to his wife. Honest autobiography is therefore a contradiction in terms: the moment a man considers himself, even in petto, he tries to gild and fresco himself.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)
“The limitations of pleasure cannot be overcome by more pleasure.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Growing up means letting go of the dearest megalomaniacal dreams of our childhood. Growing up means knowing they can’t be fulfilled. Growing up means gaining the wisdom and skills to get what we want within the limitations imposed by reality—a reality which consists of diminished powers, restricted freedoms and, with the people we love, imperfect connections.”
—Judith Viorst (20th century)