std::list.sort() blocks on very large lists (>12GB) GCC 4.0.1 Mac OS X 64-bit

[jpitt@fhcrc.org]

Hi-

I'm experiencing a weird problem that makes me wonder if there is a  
problem with the std::list.sort member function when used on very  
large lists. I have a very large list (~20GB) that is made up of a  
class (382bytes each) of DNA sequence data. When the list is on the  
order of 12GB it sorts fine, but if it gets up into the 17GB range  
when I call sort() it seems to block. The list has already been built  
so I don't think it's a malloc issue. I also don't think it's a  
complexity problem because the 12GB list sorts fine (it takes a minute  
or so), so I'm wondering if the std sort method doesn't properly  
handle the excess memory available in 64bit mode? Has anyone  
experienced this?

-thanks
jason

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Jason Pitt PhD                                        jpitt@fhcrc.org
Ferre-D'Amare Lab                                        206.667.3603
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
University of Washington
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Ave N A3-015 Seattle WA 98109
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