Re: [boost] Boost.Numeric: multi_array spec/docs

From: Jeremy Siek (jsiek_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-03-31 13:12:59

On Thu, 29 Mar 2001, Toon Knapen wrote:
toon> 
toon> As for terminology, there's a conflict with Blitz. Blitz uses subarray
toon> as a partial view (with the same rank) where a slice has lower rank. 
toon> In your doc subarray also has a lower rank. Maybe it would also be 
toon> a good idea to define the terminology used. Making no distinction
toon> between both might be confusing to the user (diff. between
toon> indexing with a range which contains only 1 or more indices)

I'm not sure that making a distinction between slices and subarrays is
beneficial. For example, the operator[] can end up returning a slice *or*
a subarray depending on the arguments... I think it would be easier to
refer to both as just subarrays.

You're right, some definitions are needed.

toon> Why is the index signed ? There were arguments about fortran or 
toon> C-style but I would expect the sign-type to be generall size_t

The multi-array currently allows for arbitrary index-ranges, [-10,-5)
would be ok, and indices into this range would need to be signed.

toon> Maybe for the concept of the index_range a model that
toon> supports non-strided ranges could be provided for indirect addressing ?

That's a good idea.

Cheers,
Jeremy

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jeremy Siek                        www: http://www.lsc.nd.edu/~jsiek/
 Ph.D. Candidate                  email: jsiek_at_[hidden]
 Univ. of Notre Dame         work phone: [phone]
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