bug#16481: dfa.c and Rational Range Interpretation

[Aharon Robbins]

Hi Paul.

> > What happens if you compile them in and run the grep test suite?
>
> The test suite passes, but grep is bigger and (I presume) slower.  The 
> GREP-related changes are for performance, and shouldn't affect behavior.
>
> How about if we apply the attached patch to dfa.c, in both gawk and 
> grep?  I tried it just now, and gawk passed all its tests too.  Or, if 
> there's some reason this patch would introduce a bug into gawk, I'd like 
> to fix the grep test cases to detect the bug.

Can you explain a bit more what the two different branches do?

In other words, I'm wondering why there are two different branches through
the code in the first place, and what are we throwing away by your patch?

(I have no preference either way, I just want to understand the
implications of the decision. :-)

Thanks,

Arnold