[Numpy-discussion] large memory address space on Mac OS X (intel)

[Travis Oliphant]

Louis Wicker wrote:

> Dear list:
>
> I cannot seem to figure how to create arrays > 2 GB on a Mac Pro 
> (using Intel chip and Tiger, 4.8).  I have hand compiled both Python 
> 2.5 and numpy 1.0.1, and cannot make arrays bigger than 2 GB.  I also 
> run out of space if I try and 3-6 several arrays of 1000 mb or so (the 
> mem-alloc failure does not seem consistent, depends on whether I am 
> creating them with a "numpy.ones()" call, or creating them on the fly 
> by doing math with the other arrays "e.g., c  = 4.3*a + 3.1*b").
>
> Is this a numpy issue, or a Python 2.5 issue for the Mac?  I have 
> tried this on the SGI Altix, and this works fine.

It must be a malloc issue.  NumPy uses the system malloc to construct 
arrays.  It just reports errors back to you if it can't.

I don't think the Mac Pro uses a 64-bit chip, does it?

-Travis