Re: [Boost-users] multi_array View vs. Subarray

From: Ronald Garcia (garcia_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-11-15 10:35:29

Hi Kevin,

On Nov 10, 2004, at 7:09 PM, Kevin Bluck wrote:

> With regard to boost::multi_array:
>
> Please, will somebody explain the difference between a View and a 
> Subarray? I have read both the user and reference documentation, and 
> can't find anything that indicates to me when you would use one over 
> the other. So far as I can tell, they are essentially identical in 
> purpose.

Views and Subarrays are very similar, that is true, but they are not 
quite identical.  Subarrays are specifically the return type of 
operator[](index).  When you index into a model of the MultiArray 
concept, you will get a subarray back.

Views, on the other hand are, as the name suggests, for taking more 
generalized views of an array, for example a slice along some 
dimensions.  As such, a view can look at a portion of a multi_array the 
same way that a subarray can, but the subarray is more specialized for 
its purpose.

HTH,

ron