On Sun, 18 Aug 2002 08:13:18 -0400 Todd Miller wrote: Todd> Jochen Küpper wrote:
Looking at RandomArray2 I realized that the functions don't do any argument checking. Shouldn't uniform for example check at least whether ,---- | minimum != maximum `---- or even make sure that maximum > minimum? (Although the result is probably "ok" if it isn't.) Something like ,---- | def uniform(minimum, maximum, shape=[]): | """Return array of random Floats in interval ]minimum, maximum[ | with shape |shape|. | """ | if maximum <= minimum: | raise ValueError | return minimum + (maximum-minimum)*random(shape) `----
Todd> I am +0 on this. The parameter order emulates "range".
Not exactly, currently: ,---- | >>> range(2, -4) | [] | >>> ran.uniform(2, -4) | -2.2346744537353516 `---- That is, if max < min range returns an empty list, whereas uniform comes up with the same result as for (-4, 2) (well, "mirrored"). Also note the "strange" docstring of range: ,---- | range(...) | range([start,] stop[, step]) -> list of integers `---- pointing straight toward its behavior. Todd> While it does look like it will compute the wrong answer if Todd> called incorrectly, that seems unlikely to me. Well, if max<min it "mirrors" the result inside the range. This is no problem as long as it is done "consistently". I don't have enough knowledge of RNG's to understand whether it is a problem (with respect to randomness) when calls with the right and wrong ordering of min and max are mixed. Thinking about the case min==max I must say it's a very wasted function call, but no actually big deal: ,---- | >>> import RandomArray2 as ran | >>> ran.uniform(1, 1) | 1.0 `---- So well, maybe someone with insight into RNG's can comment on the, mirroring issue?
Moreover there are some inconsistencies between functions, i.e.: ,---- | def randint(minimum, maximum=None, shape=[]): `---- ,---- | def random_integers(maximum, minimum=1, shape=[]): `----
Todd> It appears to me that the parameter order of randint again Todd> emulates "range". The fact that random_integers is not Todd> consistent with randint seem OK to me because random_integers Todd> appears to have been written expressly to tailor the calling Todd> sequence of randint. Hmm, v.s. Yes, initially I wondered why there are two functions at all. This explanation sounds like "we wanted some help in confusing the users" :)) Todd> Because randint re-defines its parameters depending on whether 1 Todd> or 2 range values are used, as does range, I don't think there Todd> is a completely consistent way to do this. Either we're "wrong" Todd> for the 1 parameter case or the 2 parameter case. The way it is Todd> specified now seems simplest to me, with "minimum" preceding Todd> "maximum", even though it is not strictly the correct name for Todd> the 1 parameter case. What's about ,---- | uniform(limit1, limit2, shape=[]) `---- and then range-like behaviour? But then, what do we return on ,---- | uniform(2, -4) `---- ??? To make it compatible with range, it should be an empty list, no? Your-even-more-confused-ly's, Jochen -- Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit http://www.Jochen-Kuepper.de Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité GnuPG key: 44BCCD8E Sex, drugs and rock-n-roll