Performance enhancements.

[Stephen Richardson]

I've replaced the old python-based xml-to-javascript translator with a new perl-based translator that uses standard xml parser libraries ("Simple") instead of my creaky old homebrew parser. Watch for:

- faster response time for submitting changes in the GUI;
- new bugs

Notes of possible interest to some:

- on "neva-2," the old parser was slightly faster on small-to-medium xml files, but much slower for large files.

- on "vlsiweb," the new parser is about twice as fast on small-to-medium files (something like .5 sec vs. 1 sec), and progressively faster as the files get larger; on one of Ofer's very large xml files, the old parser took more than 22 seconds and the new one took less than 5 seconds.

- the new parser is 410 lines of perl vs. the old parser's 1100 lines of python

- the old parser required five passes through the xml file to do its work; the new parser makes only a single pass.

[Megan Wachs]

Nice! So it won't crash on comments anymore?

Megan

[Stephen Richardson]

Nice! So it won't crash on comments anymore?

Yes <!-- Well, that's the theory anyhow -->
It's perfect now <!-- not by a long shot -->