Basically I'm working with a 2D matrix. I can access elements of the matrix by specifying an (x,y) pair to get the corresponding value at that position.
Now I also want to be able to keep track of certain pairs that are arbitrarily determined at run-time. For example, maybe I need to keep track of the values at (1,2), (3,4), and (5,6), and maybe I need to retrieve the value at that position frequently.
So I was thinking how about just make a hash .
liked_elements = {[1,2] => M[1,2], [3,4] =>M[3,4], [5,6]=>M[5,6]}
Or something like that.
Then I can quickly iterate over the hash and get the elements that I like.
Are there any issues with using arrays as hash keys?
Just don't modify the array afterward (or remember to rehash the hash if you do).
If it's truly a matrix (an array of arrays), then you can just pass in coordinates like this
matrix = [[:a, :b, :c],[:d, :e, :f], [:g, :h, :i]]
matrix[0][1] # returns :b
matrix[1][2] # returns :f
matrix[2][3] # returns nil, since 3 is out of bounds
Yes, you can create an array as a hash key.
h = Hash[[0,1], matrix[0][1]]
h[[0,1]] # returns :b
Somebody tell me what's going on here:
a = [0,1,2]
a.each {|x| a[x] = a}
The result is [[...], [...], [...]]. And if I evaluate a[0] I get [[...], [...], [...]]. And if I evaluate a[0][0] I get [[...], [...], [...]] ad infinitum.
Have I created an array of infinite dimensionality? How/Why should this possibly work?
Basically you've modified every element in a to reference the list itself. The list is recursively referencing itself:
a[0] # => a
a[0][0] # => a[0], which is a
a[0][0][0] # => a[0][0], which is a[0], which is a
...
(# => is a Rubyism for "this line evaluates to")
Depending on how you look at it it is not infinite. It's more or less just like a piece of paper with the words "please turn over" written on both sides.
The reason that Ruby prints [...] is that it is clever enough to discover that the list is recursive, and avoids going into an infinite loop.
By the way, your usage of each is a bit non-idiomatic. each returns the list, and you usually don't assign this return value to a variable (since you already have a variable referencing it, a in this case). In other words, your code assigns [0,1,2] to a, then loops over a (setting each element to a), then assigns a to a.
I think it's a self-referential data structure. The a[x]=a puts a's pointer in a[x].
I have an each method that is run on some user-submitted data.
Sometimes it will be an array, other times it won't be.
Example submission:
<numbers>
<number>12345</number>
</numbers>
Another example:
<numbers>
<number>12345</number>
<number>09876</number>
</numbers>
I have been trying to do an each do on that, but when there is only one number I get a TypeError (Symbol as array index) error.
I recently asked a question that was tangentally similar. You can easily force any Ruby object into an array using Array.
p Array([1,2,3]) #-> [1,2,3]
p Array(123) #-> [123]
Of course, arrays respond to each. So if you force everying into an array, your problem should be solved.
A simple workaround is to just check if your object responds to :each; and if not, wrap it in an array.
irb(main):002:0> def foo x
irb(main):003:1> if x.respond_to? :each then x else [x] end
irb(main):005:1> end
=> nil
irb(main):007:0> (foo [1,2,3]).each { |x| puts x }
1
2
3
=> [1, 2, 3]
irb(main):008:0> (foo 5).each { |x| puts x }
5
=> [5]
It looks like the problem you want to solve is not the problem you are having.
TypeError (Symbol as array index)
That error tells me that you have an array, but are treating it like a hash and passing in a symbol key when it expects an integer index.
Also, most XML parsers provide child nodes as array, even if there is only one. So this shouldn't be necesary.
In the case of arguments to a method, you can test the object type. This allows you to pass in a single object or an array, and converts to an array only if its not one so you can treat it identically form that point on.
def foo(obj)
obj = [obj] unless obj.is_a?(Array)
do_something_with(obj)
end
Or something a bit cleaner but more cryptic
def foo(obj)
obj = [*obj]
do_something_with(obj)
end
This takes advantage of the splat operator to splat out an array if it is one. So it splats it out (or doesn't change it) and you can then wrap it an array and your good to go.
I was in the same position recently except the object I was working with was either a hash or an array of hashes. If you are using Rails, you can use Array.wrap because Array(hash) converts hashes to an array.
Array({foo: "bar"}) #=> [[:foo, "bar"]]
Array.wrap({foo: "bar"}) #=> [{:foo=>"bar"}]
Array.wrap(123) #=> [123]
Array.wrap([123]) #=> [123]
I sometimes use this cheap little trick:
[might_be_an_array].flatten.each { |x| .... }
Use the splat operator:
[*1] # => [1]
[*[1,2]] # => [1,2]
Like Mark said, you're looking for "respond_to?" Another option would be to use the conditional operator like this:
foo.respond_to? :each ? foo.each{|x| dostuff(x)} : dostuff(foo);
What are you trying to do with each number?
You should try to avoid using respond_to? message as it is not a very object oriented aproach.
Check if is it possible to find in the xml generator code where it is assigning an integer value when there is just one <"number"> tag and modify it to return an array.
Maybe it is a complex task, but I would try to do this in order to get a better OO design.
I don't know much anything about ruby, but I'd assume you could cast (explicitly) the input to an array - especially given that if the input is simply one element longer it's automatically converted to an array.
Have you tried casting it?
If your input is x, use x.to_a to convert your input into an array.
[1,2,3].to_a
=> [1, 2, 3]
1.to_a
=> [1]
"sample string".to_a
=> ["sample string"]
Edit: Newer versions of Ruby seem to not define a default .to_a for some standard objects anymore. You can always use the "explicit cast" syntax Array(x) to achieve the same effect.
I am writing an method that takes variable lengths of arrays and compresses and converts them to matching array lengths.
The method accepts an array length of anywhere from 50 to 126 . .. and converts them down based on parameters when called. This means is I am dynamically accessing ranges that are specified at method call. This also means I will be accessing indices of the array that won't exist. In addition to this, the range I am accessing may be equal. This is where my problem lies: it appears that the terminating pocket of an array behaves strangely when accessing it with a range, as opposed to any other non-existent index
>> a = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
# => [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
>> a[5]
# => nil
>> a[4..4]
# => [4]
>> a[6..6]
# => nil
>> a[5..5]
# => [] <------GGRAAAAAhhh!!! Thought you were nil
>> a[5..7]
# => [] <-------you too
>> a[6..7]
# => nil <-----but you are behaving
Does anyone know why this happens? Its an extra test against an empty array for my code, but I am more curious after chasing this bug down in my rails app all day. FWIW I am running Ruby 1.8.6 on Mac OS X, patchlevel 114
Seems strange but it's a documented behaviour:
http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Array.html#M002183
The out-of range range selection is a special case, and works as per the docs:
http://www.ruby-doc.org/core/classes/Array.html#M002183
Though I'd agree that it's not exactly obvious.
It's a feature of Ruby Arrays. Only happens if you're taking a subset of an array, the first endpoint of which is equal to the length.
It allows you to do things like this:
a = [1,2,3]
a[3..3] = [4,5] # a = [1,2,3,4,5]
EDIT: Actually, you can do that with any range. My bad.
PHP, for all its warts, is pretty good on this count. There's no difference between an array and a hash (maybe I'm naive, but this seems obviously right to me), and to iterate through either you just do
foreach (array/hash as $key => $value)
In Ruby there are a bunch of ways to do this sort of thing:
array.length.times do |i|
end
array.each
array.each_index
for i in array
Hashes make more sense, since I just always use
hash.each do |key, value|
Why can't I do this for arrays? If I want to remember just one method, I guess I can use each_index (since it makes both the index and value available), but it's annoying to have to do array[index] instead of just value.
Oh right, I forgot about array.each_with_index. However, this one sucks because it goes |value, key| and hash.each goes |key, value|! Is this not insane?
This will iterate through all the elements:
array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
array.each { |x| puts x }
# Output:
1
2
3
4
5
6
This will iterate through all the elements giving you the value and the index:
array = ["A", "B", "C"]
array.each_with_index {|val, index| puts "#{val} => #{index}" }
# Output:
A => 0
B => 1
C => 2
I'm not quite sure from your question which one you are looking for.
I think there is no one right way. There are a lot of different ways to iterate, and each has its own niche.
each is sufficient for many usages, since I don't often care about the indexes.
each_ with _index acts like Hash#each - you get the value and the index.
each_index - just the indexes. I don't use this one often. Equivalent to "length.times".
map is another way to iterate, useful when you want to transform one array into another.
select is the iterator to use when you want to choose a subset.
inject is useful for generating sums or products, or collecting a single result.
It may seem like a lot to remember, but don't worry, you can get by without knowing all of them. But as you start to learn and use the different methods, your code will become cleaner and clearer, and you'll be on your way to Ruby mastery.
I'm not saying that Array -> |value,index| and Hash -> |key,value| is not insane (see Horace Loeb's comment), but I am saying that there is a sane way to expect this arrangement.
When I am dealing with arrays, I am focused on the elements in the array (not the index because the index is transitory). The method is each with index, i.e. each+index, or |each,index|, or |value,index|. This is also consistent with the index being viewed as an optional argument, e.g. |value| is equivalent to |value,index=nil| which is consistent with |value,index|.
When I am dealing with hashes, I am often more focused on the keys than the values, and I am usually dealing with keys and values in that order, either key => value or hash[key] = value.
If you want duck-typing, then either explicitly use a defined method as Brent Longborough showed, or an implicit method as maxhawkins showed.
Ruby is all about accommodating the language to suit the programmer, not about the programmer accommodating to suit the language. This is why there are so many ways. There are so many ways to think about something. In Ruby, you choose the closest and the rest of the code usually falls out extremely neatly and concisely.
As for the original question, "What is the “right” way to iterate through an array in Ruby?", well, I think the core way (i.e. without powerful syntactic sugar or object oriented power) is to do:
for index in 0 ... array.size
puts "array[#{index}] = #{array[index].inspect}"
end
But Ruby is all about powerful syntactic sugar and object oriented power, but anyway here is the equivalent for hashes, and the keys can be ordered or not:
for key in hash.keys.sort
puts "hash[#{key.inspect}] = #{hash[key].inspect}"
end
So, my answer is, "The “right” way to iterate through an array in Ruby depends on you (i.e. the programmer or the programming team) and the project.". The better Ruby programmer makes the better choice (of which syntactic power and/or which object oriented approach). The better Ruby programmer continues to look for more ways.
Now, I want to ask another question, "What is the “right” way to iterate through a Range in Ruby backwards?"! (This question is how I came to this page.)
It is nice to do (for the forwards):
(1..10).each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
but I don't like to do (for the backwards):
(1..10).to_a.reverse.each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
Well, I don't actually mind doing that too much, but when I am teaching going backwards, I want to show my students a nice symmetry (i.e. with minimal difference, e.g. only adding a reverse, or a step -1, but without modifying anything else).
You can do (for symmetry):
(a=*1..10).each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
and
(a=*1..10).reverse.each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
which I don't like much, but you can't do
(*1..10).each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
(*1..10).reverse.each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
#
(1..10).step(1){|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
(1..10).step(-1){|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
#
(1..10).each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" }
(10..1).each{|i| puts "i=#{i}" } # I don't want this though. It's dangerous
You could ultimately do
class Range
def each_reverse(&block)
self.to_a.reverse.each(&block)
end
end
but I want to teach pure Ruby rather than object oriented approaches (just yet). I would like to iterate backwards:
without creating an array (consider 0..1000000000)
working for any Range (e.g. Strings, not just Integers)
without using any extra object oriented power (i.e. no class modification)
I believe this is impossible without defining a pred method, which means modifying the Range class to use it. If you can do this please let me know, otherwise confirmation of impossibility would be appreciated though it would be disappointing. Perhaps Ruby 1.9 addresses this.
(Thanks for your time in reading this.)
Use each_with_index when you need both.
ary.each_with_index { |val, idx| # ...
The other answers are just fine, but I wanted to point out one other peripheral thing: Arrays are ordered, whereas Hashes are not in 1.8. (In Ruby 1.9, Hashes are ordered by insertion order of keys.) So it wouldn't make sense prior to 1.9 to iterate over a Hash in the same way/sequence as Arrays, which have always had a definite ordering. I don't know what the default order is for PHP associative arrays (apparently my google fu isn't strong enough to figure that out, either), but I don't know how you can consider regular PHP arrays and PHP associative arrays to be "the same" in this context, since the order for associative arrays seems undefined.
As such, the Ruby way seems more clear and intuitive to me. :)
Here are the four options listed in your question, arranged by freedom of control. You might want to use a different one depending on what you need.
Simply go through values:
array.each
Simply go through indices:
array.each_index
Go through indices + index variable:
for i in array
Control loop count + index variable:
array.length.times do | i |
Trying to do the same thing consistently with arrays and hashes might just be a code smell, but, at the risk of my being branded as a codorous half-monkey-patcher, if you're looking for consistent behaviour, would this do the trick?:
class Hash
def each_pairwise
self.each { | x, y |
yield [x, y]
}
end
end
class Array
def each_pairwise
self.each_with_index { | x, y |
yield [y, x]
}
end
end
["a","b","c"].each_pairwise { |x,y|
puts "#{x} => #{y}"
}
{"a" => "Aardvark","b" => "Bogle","c" => "Catastrophe"}.each_pairwise { |x,y|
puts "#{x} => #{y}"
}
I'd been trying to build a menu (in Camping and Markaby) using a hash.
Each item has 2 elements: a menu label and a URL, so a hash seemed right, but the '/' URL for 'Home' always appeared last (as you'd expect for a hash), so menu items appeared in the wrong order.
Using an array with each_slice does the job:
['Home', '/', 'Page two', 'two', 'Test', 'test'].each_slice(2) do|label,link|
li {a label, :href => link}
end
Adding extra values for each menu item (e.g. like a CSS ID name) just means increasing the slice value. So, like a hash but with groups consisting of any number of items. Perfect.
So this is just to say thanks for inadvertently hinting at a solution!
Obvious, but worth stating: I suggest checking if the length of the array is divisible by the slice value.
If you use the enumerable mixin (as Rails does) you can do something similar to the php snippet listed. Just use the each_slice method and flatten the hash.
require 'enumerator'
['a',1,'b',2].to_a.flatten.each_slice(2) {|x,y| puts "#{x} => #{y}" }
# is equivalent to...
{'a'=>1,'b'=>2}.to_a.flatten.each_slice(2) {|x,y| puts "#{x} => #{y}" }
Less monkey-patching required.
However, this does cause problems when you have a recursive array or a hash with array values. In ruby 1.9 this problem is solved with a parameter to the flatten method that specifies how deep to recurse.
# Ruby 1.8
[1,2,[1,2,3]].flatten
=> [1,2,1,2,3]
# Ruby 1.9
[1,2,[1,2,3]].flatten(0)
=> [1,2,[1,2,3]]
As for the question of whether this is a code smell, I'm not sure. Usually when I have to bend over backwards to iterate over something I step back and realize I'm attacking the problem wrong.
In Ruby 2.1, each_with_index method is removed.
Instead you can use each_index
Example:
a = [ "a", "b", "c" ]
a.each_index {|x| print x, " -- " }
produces:
0 -- 1 -- 2 --
The right way is the one you feel most comfortable with and which does what you want it to do. In programming there is rarely one 'correct' way to do things, more often there are multiple ways to choose.
If you are comfortable with certain way of doings things, do just it, unless it doesn't work - then it is time to find better way.
Using the same method for iterating through both arrays and hashes makes sense, for example to process nested hash-and-array structures often resulting from parsers, from reading JSON files etc..
One clever way that has not yet been mentioned is how it's done in the Ruby Facets library of standard library extensions. From here:
class Array
# Iterate over index and value. The intention of this
# method is to provide polymorphism with Hash.
#
def each_pair #:yield:
each_with_index {|e, i| yield(i,e) }
end
end
There is already Hash#each_pair, an alias of Hash#each. So after this patch, we also have Array#each_pair and can use it interchangeably to iterate through both Hashes and Arrays. This fixes the OP's observed insanity that Array#each_with_index has the block arguments reversed compared to Hash#each. Example usage:
my_array = ['Hello', 'World', '!']
my_array.each_pair { |key, value| pp "#{key}, #{value}" }
# result:
"0, Hello"
"1, World"
"2, !"
my_hash = { '0' => 'Hello', '1' => 'World', '2' => '!' }
my_hash.each_pair { |key, value| pp "#{key}, #{value}" }
# result:
"0, Hello"
"1, World"
"2, !"