[Numpy-discussion] byteswapping a complex scalar

[Michael Droettboom]

Thanks!  I guess I won't file a bug then ;)

Mike

Travis Oliphant wrote:
> On Oct 7, 2009, at 10:28 AM, Michael Droettboom wrote:
>
>   
>> I'm noticing an inconsistency as to how complex numbers are  
>> byteswapped
>> as arrays vs. scalars, and wondering if I'm doing something wrong.
>>
>>     
>>>>> x = np.array([-1j], '<c8')
>>>>> x.tostring().encode('hex')
>>>>>           
>> '00000000000080bf'
>> # This is a little-endian representation, in the order (real, imag)
>>
>> # When I swap the whole array, it swaps each of the (real, imag) parts
>> separately
>>     
>>>>> y = x.byteswap()
>>>>> y.tostring().encode('hex')
>>>>>           
>> '00000000bf800000'
>> # and this round-trips fine
>>     
>>>>> z = np.fromstring(y.tostring(), dtype='>c8')
>>>>> assert z[0] == -1j
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>> # When I swap the scalar, it seems to swap the entire 8 bytes
>>     
>>>>> y = x[0].byteswap()
>>>>> y.tostring().encode('hex')
>>>>>           
>> 'bf80000000000000'
>> # ...and this doesn't round-trip
>>     
>>>>> z = np.fromstring(y.tostring(), dtype='>c8')
>>>>> assert z[0] == -1j
>>>>>           
>> Traceback (most recent call last):
>>  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
>> AssertionError
>>     
>> Any thoughts?
>>     
>
>
> I just checked a fix for this into SVN (tests still need to be added  
> though...)
>
> I can't currently build SVN on my Mac for some reason (I don't know if  
> it has to do with recent changes or not, but I don't have time to  
> track it down right now....the error I'm getting is something about  
> Datetime array scalar types not being defined which seems related to  
> the work Dave and Stefan have been discussing).
>
> It's a small change, though, and should work.
>
> -Travis
>
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>   

-- 
Michael Droettboom
Science Software Branch
Operations and Engineering Division
Space Telescope Science Institute
Operated by AURA for NASA