[Numpy-discussion] Truth value of an array

[Olivier Verdier]

I certainly didn't mean that "A==B" should return a boolean!!

"A==B" should return an array of boolean as it does now. This is all right.

*However* "bool(A==B)" should return a boolean, *not* raise an
exception. Why raise an exception? What is ambiguous about
"bool(A==B)"??

This is what happens when you write "if A==B" because then
"bool(A==B)" is somehow triggered and bang, an exception is raised.

As I tried to explain, the default behaviour should be that "bool(A)"
return "A.all()" but not an exception. Why is there an exception
raising at all?

I hope that my question is clearer now...

Thanks.


On 18/04/2008, David Douard <david.douard at logilab.fr> wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 01:11:37PM +0200, Olivier Verdier wrote:
>  > In mathematics, if I compare two function, it means that I compare on
>  > all its "coordinates". If I say "f < g" I mean "f(x) < g(x) for all
>  > x".
>  >
>  > The same holds for a vector, if I write "v == w" I mean "v[i] == w[i]
>  > for all i".
>  >
>  > How come this doesn't work in numpy? And why the message about the
>  > truth value of an array being ambiguous? What is ambiguous?
>  >
>  > In my opinion any boolean array should be cast with all()
>  > automatically so that people can simply write:
>  > if v == w:
>  >   ...
>
>
> No. A comparison operator on ndarray produce an ndarray of booleans. So
>  you have to write
>
>  if numpy.alltrue(u == v):
>    blah
>
>  This is a very good idea, since it allows you to also write things
>  like:
>
>  u[v<0] = 0
>
>  Which you could definitely not do if the comparison returns a scalar
>  bool instead of a ndarray.
>
>  More, you may also want to write things like:
>
>  if numpy.sometrue(u<0):
>    blah
>
>  Same remark.
>
>
>
>
>  >
>  > Or is there a good reason why this is not possible?
>  >
>  > Thank you!
>
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>
>
>  --
>  David Douard                        LOGILAB, Paris (France), +33 1 45 32 03 12
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