tmpfs

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tmpfs

hello,

is there a tmpfs on mac os x? I thought maybe /tmp was it, but can't find this in any documentation.
Basically, I ask because I need to do very fast i/o.

Kamel

Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Posted on Mar 5, 2006 9:07 AM

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Answer 1

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Michael Bradshaw

Level 5

4,155 points

Mar 5, 2006 12:36 PM in response to Kamel

If by tmpfs you mean a modified linux ramfs file system that also will go to swap (which will hit a disk if conditions are right), then I'm unaware of it.

I was never a fan of "IO" that never went I or O - but the file idiom and tools are handy so I understand the desire to have ram disks - but if you want fast, it's best to compile a program to use RAM as RAM and mark it as not to be swapped....

There are solid state disks and "Ram" storage devices that you can attach with fiber channel and gigabit ethernet that have very fast IO - but it's not a kernel thing which I'm guessing was the point of your post.

Cheers,
Mike

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Answer 2

Kamel Author

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Mar 5, 2006 1:12 PM in response to Michael Bradshaw

a modified linux ramfs file system that also will go to swap, then I'm >unaware of it.

ok.

I'm interested in finding approximate times for a variety of data manipulations:
-copying data from one buffer in RAM to another buffer in RAM.
-sending a UDP message (say 8kB) from one program to another (on same machine)
-doing io on tmpfs (on linux) [not of high interest to me if it's only on linux]

is there a good way of finding out some of these figures? maybe some apple spec sheet has them (the first 2 at least)?

Kamel

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