[Numpy-discussion] floats as axis

[josef.pktd at gmail.com]

(some) numpy functions take floats as valid axis argument. Is this a feature?

>>> np.ones((2,3)).sum(1.2)
array([ 3.,  3.])
>>> np.ones((2,3)).sum(1.99)
array([ 3.,  3.])

>>> np.mean((1.5,0.5))
1.0
>>> np.mean(1.5,0.5)
1.5

Keith pointed out that scipy.stats.nanmean has a different behavior

>>> stats.nanmean(np.ones((2,3)), axis= 1.2)
Traceback (most recent call last):
<...>
TypeError: tuple indices must be integers

see: http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/ticket/1165

What's the preferred behavior?

Josef