Bidimensional arrays in Python

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August 15th, 2003, 11:04 PM

SolarBear

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Bidimensional arrays in Python

Hi, my problem is simple : I'm trying to make some 2x2 matrix operations, similar to the C code like

Code:

int a[4][15]

(not necessarily int). And honestly, I have no clue about how to do that in Python. So how can I do that ?

I COULD make a "flat", one-dimensional array, and take each x'th element, but I'd be surprised if nobody ever worked with Python and matrices.

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August 16th, 2003, 01:40 AM

jeych

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Hello,

I'm not trained in Python but isn't :

Code:

>>> a = [[1,2,3],[4,5,6],[7,8,9]]
>>> a[0]
[1, 2, 3]
>>> a[0][0]
1
>>> a[2][2]
9

what you're looking for ? Just an array of arrays

Julien.

August 16th, 2003, 07:37 AM

percivall

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Also, note that what you will be creating is not an array, but a list. A mutable list. You can't directly create an empty array, but you can of course create an array filled with default values:

Code:

[[0 for i in range(2)] for i in range(2)]

will return:

Code:

[[0, 0], [0, 0]]

For more info, see Python Tutorial: List Comprehensions

Last edited by percivall : August 16th, 2003 at 07:40 AM.

August 16th, 2003, 10:04 AM

SolarBear

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Ah, that'll teach me to RTFM. Thanks.

August 18th, 2003, 07:42 AM

FiveGrainJa

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Another way of doing the same thing:

Code:

[ [0] * 2 ] * 2

This is essentially the same as the list comprehension in the earlier post, but a little less typing.

August 19th, 2003, 08:48 AM

netytan

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Both do the same thing but making a list of 0 is pretty pointless

. The first list compression does allow you to do allot more than the recusion though..

Code:

[[i for i in range(10)] for i in range(2)]

This will at least produce two list of numbers 0-9,

but then why this would be useful I just don't know, ah maybe one day I will find a use for it

Thanks for the info though,

Take care guys,
Mark.

August 19th, 2003, 09:18 AM

percivall

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List comprehension is most powerful when combined with a function, such as:

Code:

[(lambda i: [i, chr(i)])(i) for i in range(65, 123)]

This is of course also possible with a regular list comprehension...

Code:

[[i, chr(i)] for i in range(65, 123)]

Okay, not very useful. Anyway, it lets you do stuff in a nice way.

Last edited by percivall : August 19th, 2003 at 09:29 AM.

August 19th, 2003, 04:03 PM

netytan

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I'd be enclined to use the second

. Smaller and and nicer to look at, plus since it does less (doesnt create a lambda) it should be slightly more efficent (in theory). Does give some idea of whats possible. Good for setting up lists

.

good to know thanks,
Mark.

September 4th, 2003, 08:08 PM

Strike

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Quote:

Originally posted by FiveGrainJa
Another way of doing the same thing:

Code:

[ [0] * 2 ] * 2

This is essentially the same as the list comprehension in the earlier post, but a little less typing.

Actually, you don't want to do this, because of the following:

Code:

>>> a = [[0]*2]*2
>>> a
[[0, 0], [0, 0]]
>>> a[0][0] = 1
>>> a
[[1, 0], [1, 0]]
>>>

see note 2 on this page for more details: http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/typesseq.html

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Bidimensional arrays in Python

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