148 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
148 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# sparse-array
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A Clojure library designed to manipulate sparse *arrays* - multi-dimensional spaces accessed by indices, but containing arbitrary values rather than just numbers. For sparse spaces which contain numbers only, you're better to use a *sparse matrix* library, for example [clojure.core.matrix](https://mikera.github.io/core.matrix/).
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Arbitrary numbers of dimensions are supported, up to limits imposed by the JVM stack.
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## Conventions:
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### Sparse arrays
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For the purposes of this library, a sparse array shall be implemented as a map, such that all keys are non-negative members of the set of integers, except for the following keyword keys, all of which are expected to be present:
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1. `:dimensions` The number of dimensions in this array, counting the present one (value expected to be a real number);
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2. `:coord` The coordinate of the dimension represented by the current map (value expected to be a keyword);
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3. `:content` What this map contains; if the value of `:dimensions` is one, then `:data`; otherwise, an ordered sequence of the coordinates of the dimensions below this one.
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Thus an array with a single value 'hello' at coordinates x = 3, y = 4, z = 5 would be encoded:
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```clojure
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{:dimensions 3
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:coord :x
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:content [:y :z]
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3 {:dimensions 2
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:coord :y
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:content [:z]
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4 {:dimensions 1
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:coord :z
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:content :data
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5 "hello"
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}
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}
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}
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```
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At the present stage of development, where the expectations of an operation are violated, `nil` is returned and no exception is thrown. However, it's probable that later there will be at least the option of thowing specific exceptions, as otherwise debugging could be tricky.
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### Dense arrays
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For the purposes of conversion, a **dense array** is assumed to be a vector; a two dimensional dense array a vector of vectors; a three dimensional dense array a vector of vectors of vectors, and so on. For any depth `N`, all vectors at depth `N` must have the same arity. If these conventions are not respected conversion may fail.
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## Usage
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### make-sparse-array
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`sparse-array.core/make-sparse-array ([& dimensions])`
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Make a sparse array with these `dimensions`. Every member of `dimensions` must be a keyword; otherwise, `nil` will be returned.
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e.g.
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```clojure
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(make-sparse-array :x :y :z)
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=> {:dimensions 3, :coord :x, :content (:y :z)}
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```
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### sparse-array?
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`sparse-array.core/sparse-array? ([x])`
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`true` if `x` is a sparse array conforming to the conventions established by this library, else `false`.
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### put
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`sparse-array.core/put ([array value & coordinates])`
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Return a sparse array like this `array` but with this `value` at these `coordinates`. Returns `nil` if any coordinate is invalid.
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e.g.
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```clojure
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(put (put (make-sparse-array :x :y) "hello" 3 4) "goodbye" 4 3)
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=> {:dimensions 2,
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:coord :x,
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:content (:y),
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3 {:dimensions 1, :coord :y, :content :data, 4 "hello"},
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4 {:dimensions 1, :coord :y, :content :data, 3 "goodbye"}}
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```
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### get
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`sparse-array.core/get ([array & coordinates])`
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Return the value in this sparse `array` at these `coordinates`.
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### merge-sparse-arrays
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`sparse-array.core/merge-sparse-arrays ([a1 a2])`
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Return a sparse array taking values from sparse arrays `a1` and `a2`, but preferring values from `a2` where there is a conflict. `a1` and `a2` must have the **same** dimensions in the **same** order, or `nil` will be returned.
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e.g.
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```clojure
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(merge-sparse-arrays
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(put (make-sparse-array :x) "hello" 3)
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(put (make-sparse-array :x) "goodbye" 4)))
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=> {:dimensions 1, :coord :x, :content :data, 3 "hello", 4 "goodbye"}
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```
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### dense-to-sparse
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`sparse-array.core/dense-to-sparse ([x] [x coordinates])`
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Return a sparse array representing the content of the dense array `x`, assuming these `coordinates` if specified. *NOTE THAT* if insufficient values of `coordinates` are specified, the resulting sparse array will be malformed.
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e.g.
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```clojure
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(dense-to-sparse [nil nil nil "hello" nil "goodbye"])
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=> {:dimensions 1, :coord :i0, :content :data, 3 "hello", 5 "goodbye"}
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```
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### sparse-to-dense
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`sparse-array.core/sparse-to-dense ([x] [x arity])`
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Return a dense array representing the content of the sparse array `x`.
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**NOTE THAT** this has the potential to consume very large amounts of memory.
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e.g.
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```clojure
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(sparse-to-dense
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(put
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(put
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(make-sparse-array :x :y)
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"hello" 3 4)
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"goodbye" 4 3))
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=> [[nil nil nil nil nil]
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[nil nil nil nil nil]
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[nil nil nil nil nil]
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[nil nil nil nil "hello"]
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[nil nil nil "goodbye" nil]]
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```
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## License
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Copyright © 2019 Simon Brooke
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Distributed under the Eclipse Public License either version 1.0 or (at
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your option) any later version.
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