find index in an array
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg108104] find index in an array
- From: Daniel Flatin <dflatin at rcn.com>
- Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 06:15:28 -0500 (EST)
I work in an environment where another system is the dominant analysis tool. In
porting some code to my preferred work environment, Mathematica, I find
that I occasionally need to reinvent functionality found in the other system. One
such function is find(). In that system, this function returns all the
non-zero indices in an array. Usually, this test array is the
consequence of a logical operation on each element, so that in the that system
indx == find(A > 3);
returns all the indices for which elements of A are greater than 3. I
have replicated this functionality in Mathematica, and I wanted to both
share it, and maybe get some input in how I could make it more
efficient or more elegant. One of the ways I learn to program in
Mathematica is to analyze all the various responses to simple questions
here, and I am hoping to steer the process here.
Here is my function:
findIndex[ array_?ArrayQ, test_ ] :== Module[
{n==Length[Dimensions[array]],idx},
idx == Cases[MapIndexed[If[test[#1],#2]&,array,{n}],{__Integer},n];
If[n====1,Flatten[idx],idx]
]
example:
(* set a *)
a ==
{{{0.08896779137,0.08522648397},{0.1162297255,0.4316697935}},{{0.6409512512,0.3506400003},{0.1156346501,0.9537010025}},{{0.8820963106,0.9962655552},{0.004333293427,0.727745896}}};
(*
get indices *)
indx == findIndex[a, 0.3 < # < 0.7&]
output:
{{1, 2, 2}, {2, 1, 1}, {2, 1, 2}}
and to verify this is a valid result:
Extract[a,indx]
returns
{0.4316697935,0.6409512512,0.3506400003}
as does
Select[Flatten[a], 0.3 < # < 0.7&]
Note that this function is quite a bit like Position[] except that it
works on results of a logical comparison rather than a pattern.
Position, on the other hand, has some a feature I view as a virtue. It
can operate on non-array objects, in fact, it can operate on non-list
objects.
If any readers has some insight into a more compact, elegant, or
Mathematica-like approach to this findIndex function, please feel free
to respond.
Anyway, thanks for your time, and in advance for your thoughts.
Dan
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: find index in an array
- From: Leonid Shifrin <lshifr@gmail.com>
- Re: find index in an array
- From: DrMajorBob <btreat1@austin.rr.com>
- Re: find index in an array
- From: bsyehuda@gmail.com
- Re: find index in an array
- From: Vivek Joshi <vivekj@wolfram.com>
- Re: find index in an array