Re: Applying "Replace" to subsets of lists
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
 - Subject: [mg129183] Re: Applying "Replace" to subsets of lists
 - From: Bob Hanlon <hanlonr357 at gmail.com>
 - Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:20:50 -0500 (EST)
 - Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
 - Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@wolfram.com
 - Delivered-to: mathgroup-newout@smc.vnet.net
 - Delivered-to: mathgroup-newsend@smc.vnet.net
 - References: <20121219095527.0EEB0692F@smc.vnet.net>
 
magicFunction[list_List, part_, rule_Rule] :=
 ReplacePart[list, part -> (list[[part]] /. rule)]
magicFunction[{{b, 2}, b}, 2, b -> 1]
{{b, 2}, 1}
magicFunction[{{b, 2}, b^2}, 2, b -> 1]
{{b, 2}, 1}
magicFunction[{{b, 2}, b^2}, 1, b -> 1]
{{1, 2}, b^2}
Bob Hanlon
On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 4:55 AM,  <abed.alnaif at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
> Say I have the following list, and I'd like to replace the second 'b' with the value 1, leaving the first b untouched:
>
> MagicFunction[{{b, 2}, b}] = {{b, 2}, 1}
>
> How do I do this? I've tried the following:
>
> This doesn't work since it replaces both 'b'
> In: {{b, 2}, b} /. b -> 1
> Out: {{1, 2}, 1}
>
> This doesn't work (I'm not sure why):
> In: {{b, 2}, b} /. {{x_, y_}, f_[b]} -> {{x, y}, 1, f[1]}
> Out: {{b, 2}, b}
>
> This works:
> In: {{b, 2}, b} /. {{x_, y_}, b} -> {{x, y}, 1}
> Out: {{b, 2}, 1}
>
> However, 'b' may appear in different forms, in which case the previous approach fails:
> In: {{b, 2}, b^2} /. {{x_, y_}, b} -> {{x, y}, 1}
> Out: {{b, 2}, b^2}
>
> Using the 'levelspec' argument of 'Replace' also fails since 'b' can appear in different forms:
> In: Replace[{{b, 2}, b^2}, b -> 1, 1]
> Out: {{b, 2}, b^2}
> In: Replace[{{b, 2}, b^2}, b -> 1, 2]
> Out: {{1, 2}, 1}
>
> Thank you,
>
> Abed
>
- References:
- Applying "Replace" to subsets of lists
- From: abed.alnaif@gmail.com
 
 
 - Applying "Replace" to subsets of lists