Why my Haskell program using `par` isn't spawning any spark?

Question

I'm trying to compile the following program using threads:

import qualified Data.Vector.Unboxed as UV
passes = UV.fromList [1..1000000] :: UV.Vector Int
vector = UV.fromList [1..100] :: UV.Vector Double
vectors = x `par` y `par` z `par` w `pseq` (x,y,z,w) where
    x = UV.foldr' (const (UV.map (+1))) vector passes
    y = UV.foldr' (const (UV.map (+2))) vector passes
    z = UV.foldr' (const (UV.map (+3))) vector passes
    w = UV.foldr' (const (UV.map (+4))) vector passes
main = print vectors

But it does not look like it is executing in parallel, since its execution time with either N1 or N4 are almost the same.

vh:haskell apple1$ ghc -fforce-recomp -threaded -O2 bench.hs -o bench; time ./bench +RTS -s -N4
[1 of 1] Compiling Main             ( bench.hs, bench.o )
Linking bench ...
(fromList [1000001.0,1000002.0,1000003.0,1000004.0,1000005.0,1000006.0,1000007.0,1000008.0,1000009.0,1000010.0,1000011.0,1000012.0,1000013.0,1000014.0,1000015.0,1000016.0,1000017.0,1000018.0,1000019.0,1000020.0,1000021.0,1000022.0,1000023.0,1000024.0,1000025.0,1000026.0,1000027.0,1000028.0,1000029.0,1000030.0,1000031.0,1000032.0,1000033.0,1000034.0,1000035.0,1000036.0,1000037.0,1000038.0,1000039.0,1000040.0,1000041.0,1000042.0,1000043.0,1000044.0,1000045.0,1000046.0,1000047.0,1000048.0,1000049.0,1000050.0,1000051.0,1000052.0,1000053.0,1000054.0,1000055.0,1000056.0,1000057.0,1000058.0,1000059.0,1000060.0,1000061.0,1000062.0,1000063.0,1000064.0,1000065.0,1000066.0,1000067.0,1000068.0,1000069.0,1000070.0,1000071.0,1000072.0,1000073.0,1000074.0,1000075.0,1000076.0,1000077.0,1000078.0,1000079.0,1000080.0,1000081.0,1000082.0,1000083.0,1000084.0,1000085.0,1000086.0,1000087.0,1000088.0,1000089.0,1000090.0,1000091.0,1000092.0,1000093.0,1000094.0,1000095.0,1000096.0,1000097.0,1000098.0,1000099.0,1000100.0],fromList [2000001.0,2000002.0,2000003.0,2000004.0,2000005.0,2000006.0,2000007.0,2000008.0,2000009.0,2000010.0,2000011.0,2000012.0,2000013.0,2000014.0,2000015.0,2000016.0,2000017.0,2000018.0,2000019.0,2000020.0,2000021.0,2000022.0,2000023.0,2000024.0,2000025.0,2000026.0,2000027.0,2000028.0,2000029.0,2000030.0,2000031.0,2000032.0,2000033.0,2000034.0,2000035.0,2000036.0,2000037.0,2000038.0,2000039.0,2000040.0,2000041.0,2000042.0,2000043.0,2000044.0,2000045.0,2000046.0,2000047.0,2000048.0,2000049.0,2000050.0,2000051.0,2000052.0,2000053.0,2000054.0,2000055.0,2000056.0,2000057.0,2000058.0,2000059.0,2000060.0,2000061.0,2000062.0,2000063.0,2000064.0,2000065.0,2000066.0,2000067.0,2000068.0,2000069.0,2000070.0,2000071.0,2000072.0,2000073.0,2000074.0,2000075.0,2000076.0,2000077.0,2000078.0,2000079.0,2000080.0,2000081.0,2000082.0,2000083.0,2000084.0,2000085.0,2000086.0,2000087.0,2000088.0,2000089.0,2000090.0,2000091.0,2000092.0,2000093.0,2000094.0,2000095.0,2000096.0,2000097.0,2000098.0,2000099.0,2000100.0],fromList [3000001.0,3000002.0,3000003.0,3000004.0,3000005.0,3000006.0,3000007.0,3000008.0,3000009.0,3000010.0,3000011.0,3000012.0,3000013.0,3000014.0,3000015.0,3000016.0,3000017.0,3000018.0,3000019.0,3000020.0,3000021.0,3000022.0,3000023.0,3000024.0,3000025.0,3000026.0,3000027.0,3000028.0,3000029.0,3000030.0,3000031.0,3000032.0,3000033.0,3000034.0,3000035.0,3000036.0,3000037.0,3000038.0,3000039.0,3000040.0,3000041.0,3000042.0,3000043.0,3000044.0,3000045.0,3000046.0,3000047.0,3000048.0,3000049.0,3000050.0,3000051.0,3000052.0,3000053.0,3000054.0,3000055.0,3000056.0,3000057.0,3000058.0,3000059.0,3000060.0,3000061.0,3000062.0,3000063.0,3000064.0,3000065.0,3000066.0,3000067.0,3000068.0,3000069.0,3000070.0,3000071.0,3000072.0,3000073.0,3000074.0,3000075.0,3000076.0,3000077.0,3000078.0,3000079.0,3000080.0,3000081.0,3000082.0,3000083.0,3000084.0,3000085.0,3000086.0,3000087.0,3000088.0,3000089.0,3000090.0,3000091.0,3000092.0,3000093.0,3000094.0,3000095.0,3000096.0,3000097.0,3000098.0,3000099.0,3000100.0],fromList [4000001.0,4000002.0,4000003.0,4000004.0,4000005.0,4000006.0,4000007.0,4000008.0,4000009.0,4000010.0,4000011.0,4000012.0,4000013.0,4000014.0,4000015.0,4000016.0,4000017.0,4000018.0,4000019.0,4000020.0,4000021.0,4000022.0,4000023.0,4000024.0,4000025.0,4000026.0,4000027.0,4000028.0,4000029.0,4000030.0,4000031.0,4000032.0,4000033.0,4000034.0,4000035.0,4000036.0,4000037.0,4000038.0,4000039.0,4000040.0,4000041.0,4000042.0,4000043.0,4000044.0,4000045.0,4000046.0,4000047.0,4000048.0,4000049.0,4000050.0,4000051.0,4000052.0,4000053.0,4000054.0,4000055.0,4000056.0,4000057.0,4000058.0,4000059.0,4000060.0,4000061.0,4000062.0,4000063.0,4000064.0,4000065.0,4000066.0,4000067.0,4000068.0,4000069.0,4000070.0,4000071.0,4000072.0,4000073.0,4000074.0,4000075.0,4000076.0,4000077.0,4000078.0,4000079.0,4000080.0,4000081.0,4000082.0,4000083.0,4000084.0,4000085.0,4000086.0,4000087.0,4000088.0,4000089.0,4000090.0,4000091.0,4000092.0,4000093.0,4000094.0,4000095.0,4000096.0,4000097.0,4000098.0,4000099.0,4000100.0])
   3,842,955,664 bytes allocated in the heap
      16,390,368 bytes copied during GC
       8,469,360 bytes maximum residency (6 sample(s))
       2,122,880 bytes maximum slop
              24 MB total memory in use (7 MB lost due to fragmentation)

                                    Tot time (elapsed)  Avg pause  Max pause
  Gen  0      7411 colls,  7411 par    0.20s    0.06s     0.0000s    0.0004s
  Gen  1         6 colls,     5 par    0.00s    0.00s     0.0002s    0.0008s

  Parallel GC work balance: 1.00% (serial 0%, perfect 100%)

  TASKS: 10 (1 bound, 9 peak workers (9 total), using -N4)

  SPARKS: 3 (0 converted, 0 overflowed, 0 dud, 3 GC'd, 0 fizzled)

  INIT    time    0.00s  (  0.00s elapsed)
  MUT     time    0.77s  (  0.69s elapsed)
  GC      time    0.20s  (  0.06s elapsed)
  EXIT    time    0.00s  (  0.00s elapsed)
  Total   time    0.97s  (  0.76s elapsed)

  Alloc rate    5,018,806,918 bytes per MUT second

  Productivity  78.9% of total user, 101.5% of total elapsed

gc_alloc_block_sync: 6988
whitehole_spin: 0
gen[0].sync: 0
gen[1].sync: 0

real    0m0.759s
user    0m0.972s
sys 0m0.158s
vh:haskell apple1$ time ./bench
(fromList [1000001.0,1000002.0,1000003.0,1000004.0,1000005.0,1000006.0,1000007.0,1000008.0,1000009.0,1000010.0,1000011.0,1000012.0,1000013.0,1000014.0,1000015.0,1000016.0,1000017.0,1000018.0,1000019.0,1000020.0,1000021.0,1000022.0,1000023.0,1000024.0,1000025.0,1000026.0,1000027.0,1000028.0,1000029.0,1000030.0,1000031.0,1000032.0,1000033.0,1000034.0,1000035.0,1000036.0,1000037.0,1000038.0,1000039.0,1000040.0,1000041.0,1000042.0,1000043.0,1000044.0,1000045.0,1000046.0,1000047.0,1000048.0,1000049.0,1000050.0,1000051.0,1000052.0,1000053.0,1000054.0,1000055.0,1000056.0,1000057.0,1000058.0,1000059.0,1000060.0,1000061.0,1000062.0,1000063.0,1000064.0,1000065.0,1000066.0,1000067.0,1000068.0,1000069.0,1000070.0,1000071.0,1000072.0,1000073.0,1000074.0,1000075.0,1000076.0,1000077.0,1000078.0,1000079.0,1000080.0,1000081.0,1000082.0,1000083.0,1000084.0,1000085.0,1000086.0,1000087.0,1000088.0,1000089.0,1000090.0,1000091.0,1000092.0,1000093.0,1000094.0,1000095.0,1000096.0,1000097.0,1000098.0,1000099.0,1000100.0],fromList [2000001.0,2000002.0,2000003.0,2000004.0,2000005.0,2000006.0,2000007.0,2000008.0,2000009.0,2000010.0,2000011.0,2000012.0,2000013.0,2000014.0,2000015.0,2000016.0,2000017.0,2000018.0,2000019.0,2000020.0,2000021.0,2000022.0,2000023.0,2000024.0,2000025.0,2000026.0,2000027.0,2000028.0,2000029.0,2000030.0,2000031.0,2000032.0,2000033.0,2000034.0,2000035.0,2000036.0,2000037.0,2000038.0,2000039.0,2000040.0,2000041.0,2000042.0,2000043.0,2000044.0,2000045.0,2000046.0,2000047.0,2000048.0,2000049.0,2000050.0,2000051.0,2000052.0,2000053.0,2000054.0,2000055.0,2000056.0,2000057.0,2000058.0,2000059.0,2000060.0,2000061.0,2000062.0,2000063.0,2000064.0,2000065.0,2000066.0,2000067.0,2000068.0,2000069.0,2000070.0,2000071.0,2000072.0,2000073.0,2000074.0,2000075.0,2000076.0,2000077.0,2000078.0,2000079.0,2000080.0,2000081.0,2000082.0,2000083.0,2000084.0,2000085.0,2000086.0,2000087.0,2000088.0,2000089.0,2000090.0,2000091.0,2000092.0,2000093.0,2000094.0,2000095.0,2000096.0,2000097.0,2000098.0,2000099.0,2000100.0],fromList [3000001.0,3000002.0,3000003.0,3000004.0,3000005.0,3000006.0,3000007.0,3000008.0,3000009.0,3000010.0,3000011.0,3000012.0,3000013.0,3000014.0,3000015.0,3000016.0,3000017.0,3000018.0,3000019.0,3000020.0,3000021.0,3000022.0,3000023.0,3000024.0,3000025.0,3000026.0,3000027.0,3000028.0,3000029.0,3000030.0,3000031.0,3000032.0,3000033.0,3000034.0,3000035.0,3000036.0,3000037.0,3000038.0,3000039.0,3000040.0,3000041.0,3000042.0,3000043.0,3000044.0,3000045.0,3000046.0,3000047.0,3000048.0,3000049.0,3000050.0,3000051.0,3000052.0,3000053.0,3000054.0,3000055.0,3000056.0,3000057.0,3000058.0,3000059.0,3000060.0,3000061.0,3000062.0,3000063.0,3000064.0,3000065.0,3000066.0,3000067.0,3000068.0,3000069.0,3000070.0,3000071.0,3000072.0,3000073.0,3000074.0,3000075.0,3000076.0,3000077.0,3000078.0,3000079.0,3000080.0,3000081.0,3000082.0,3000083.0,3000084.0,3000085.0,3000086.0,3000087.0,3000088.0,3000089.0,3000090.0,3000091.0,3000092.0,3000093.0,3000094.0,3000095.0,3000096.0,3000097.0,3000098.0,3000099.0,3000100.0],fromList [4000001.0,4000002.0,4000003.0,4000004.0,4000005.0,4000006.0,4000007.0,4000008.0,4000009.0,4000010.0,4000011.0,4000012.0,4000013.0,4000014.0,4000015.0,4000016.0,4000017.0,4000018.0,4000019.0,4000020.0,4000021.0,4000022.0,4000023.0,4000024.0,4000025.0,4000026.0,4000027.0,4000028.0,4000029.0,4000030.0,4000031.0,4000032.0,4000033.0,4000034.0,4000035.0,4000036.0,4000037.0,4000038.0,4000039.0,4000040.0,4000041.0,4000042.0,4000043.0,4000044.0,4000045.0,4000046.0,4000047.0,4000048.0,4000049.0,4000050.0,4000051.0,4000052.0,4000053.0,4000054.0,4000055.0,4000056.0,4000057.0,4000058.0,4000059.0,4000060.0,4000061.0,4000062.0,4000063.0,4000064.0,4000065.0,4000066.0,4000067.0,4000068.0,4000069.0,4000070.0,4000071.0,4000072.0,4000073.0,4000074.0,4000075.0,4000076.0,4000077.0,4000078.0,4000079.0,4000080.0,4000081.0,4000082.0,4000083.0,4000084.0,4000085.0,4000086.0,4000087.0,4000088.0,4000089.0,4000090.0,4000091.0,4000092.0,4000093.0,4000094.0,4000095.0,4000096.0,4000097.0,4000098.0,4000099.0,4000100.0])

real    0m0.717s
user    0m0.694s
sys 0m0.021s

Why it is not running in parallel and how do I fix it?

Answer 1

I think it takes a while for sparks to get processed after they are created, so if you don't have a lot of work to do they are likely to be GC'ed or fizzle out.

Consider this program:

import Control.Parallel.Strategies
import System.Environment

fib :: Int -> Int
fib n
  | n <= 2 = n
  | otherwise = fib (n-2) + fib (n-1)

test4 n = runEval $ do
  a <- rpar (fib n)
  b <- rpar (fib (n+1))
  c <- rpar (fib (n+2))
  d <- rpar (fib (n+3))
  return (a,b,c,d)

main = do
  n <- fmap (read.head) getArgs
  print $ test4 n

and here is a summary of what I typically see for various values of n:

n           sparks
----------  ------------------------
up to 25    either 4 GC or 4 fizzled
26          1 converted, 3 fizzled
28          2 converted, 2 fizzled
30          3 converted, 1 fizzled

In each case 4 sparks get created, but for smaller values of n the spark manager doesn't have any time to evaluate any of them and they all get evaluated by the main thread.