I've got an array (target) with keys to a series of nested objects. I need to make sure there is a object there before I set a value to it later on. This code is working but only so far as I can be bothered to repeat it.
How can I do this for n number of keys in the array without repeating this switch to infinity?
for t, index in target
switch i
when 1
if object[target[0]] is undefined
object[target[0]] = {}
when 2
if object[target[0]][target[1]] is undefined
object[target[0]][target[1]] = {}
when 3
if object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]] is undefined
object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]] = {}
when 4
if object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]] is undefined
object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]] = {}
when 5
if object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]][target[4]] is undefined
object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]][target[4]] = {}
when 6
if object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]][target[4]][target[5]] is undefined
object[target[0]][target[1]][target[2]][target[3]][target[4]][target[5]] = {}
caveat untested code from the top of my head. But this should work...
current = object
for t in target
current = (current[t] ?= {})
Or a more javascripty version:
target.reduce ((o,t)-> o[t]?={}), object
The first one is more legible, the second more elegant imho (and does not pollute the scope with current).
Related
We have a script that defines values to names similar to #define in c. For example:
script.m:
ERR_NOERROR = 0;
ERR_FATAL = 1;
This script already exists and is used for value replacement when reading data from files.
Now we have a function (or more) that does some analysis and we would like to use the same definition in this function to avoid magic numbers. But when the script is called from the function we get an error.
Attempt to add "ERR_NOERROR" to a static workspace.
See MATLAB Programming, Restrictions on Assigning to Variables for details.
And this does not help much in the understanding of the problem.
The question is how can we make these definitions visible/usable in the functions with having to copying it every time.
Example:
function foo = bar(a)
run(script.m) %also tried running it without the run command
if a == ERR_NOERROR
foo = 5;
else
foo = 6;
end
end
edit:
There was a nested function,below in the function which I was not aware of. This explains the problem.
This kind of scoping error happens when you use nested or anonymous function within a function. The solution is well documented.
To your case, you can avoid nested function, or "Convert the script to a function and pass the variable using arguments", as the documentation suggests.
EDIT: I should have made it clear that the error occurs even if the script is not called within the nested function. Similar scenario is that, in debug mode (by setting up a break point), it will be an error if one tries to create a temporal variable to test something.
This is not a direct answer, rather a recommendation to switch to another method, which will not be mixing scope and workspace.
Instead of defining your constant in a script, you could make a class containing only constant properties. ex: code for error_codes.m:
classdef error_codes
% ---------------------------------------------------------------------
% Constant error code definition
% ---------------------------------------------------------------------
properties (Constant = true)
noerror = 0 ;
fatal = 1 ;
errorlvl2 = 2 ;
errorlvl3 = 3 ;
warning = -1 ;
% etc ...
end
end
I use this style for many different type of constants. For tidiness, I groups them all in a Matlab package directory (The directories which starts with a + character.
The added benefit of using constant class properties is the safety that the values cannot be changed in the middle of the code (your variables defined in a script could easily be overwritten by a careless user).
So assuming my file error_codes.m is placed in a folder:
\...somepath...\+Constants\error_codes.m
and of course the folder +Constants is on the MATLAB path, then to use it as in your example, instead of calling the script, just initialise an instance of the class, then use the constant values when you need them:
function foo = bar(a)
ERR = Constants.error_codes ;
if a == ERR.noerror
foo = 5;
else
foo = 6;
end
or it can works in switch statement too:
switch a
case ERR.noerror
foo = 5 ;
case ERR.warning
foo = 42 ;
case ERR.fatal
foo = [] ;
end
I am completely new to Max and am struggling to understand how to use arrays and Javascript parameters.
I have one working js object that outputs an array:
var inlets = 1;
var outlets = 1;
function getRandomChordProgression()
{
outlet(0, [1,4,5]);
return [1,4,5];
}
And then later I want to use that array in another js object, that takes an array and an integer:
var inlets = 2;
var outlets = 1;
function getCurrentChord(chords, barNumber)
{
var chord = chords[barNumber % 3];
outlet(0, chord);
return chord;
}
I tried the below, but the js gets undefined inputs.
The first thing to notice is that in Max Msp, in order to assign a list to a single symbol, you need to use the "tosymbol" object. Even if lists are effectively considered mono dimensional arrays in Max Msp, in order to be understood by javascript they first need to be converted. Once the list is converted into a symbol, we can join it with the integer coming from the number box, pack it with the getCurrentChord message and feed it into the getCurrentChord.js object.
You will see that by converting a list into a symbol every character in the array, including the spaces, is seen as part of the array. So using your example, an array composed by 3 integers will have 5 positions occupied, from 0 to 4. In order to make this work, inside the second .js script the modulo operator needs to be set to 5 in order to have a maximum remainder of 4. This means that by setting the number box to 1 or 3 you will have an empty output. So you need to decide how and if to parse the input or the output in order to obtain only the values desired.
var inlets = 2;
var outlets = 1;
function getCurrentChord(chords, barNumber)
{
var chord = chords[barNumber % 5];
outlet(0, chord);
}
Hope that helps!
Need to iterate through all objects created by the following class and destroy them after they become useless;
Casing = {}
Casing.__index = Casing
sentArray = {}
function Casing.create(x, y, z)
if x ~= nil and y ~= nil and z ~= nil then
local _casing = {}
setmetatable(_casing,Casing)
--etc.
return _casing
end
end
Edit (answer):
The issue with this question is simple: There is no need to explicity deconstruct or destroy variables. Lua automatically destroys unused variables and dereferences them accordingly — as demonstrated and explained in the answer below.
Tables in Lua are subject to GC. Simply abandon all references when they become 'useless' and unless you've turned off garbage collection their 'destruction' will just happen naturally.
An example of manually subjecting a table to GC:
local mytable = {}
print(mytable)
print(collectgarbage('count'))
mytable = nil
collectgarbage()
print(collectgarbage('count'))
--[[stdout (approximation):
table: 0x7fa821c066f0
23.7412109375
22.81640625
]]
If you want to keep a record of the instances you create you can store references to them in a table. Simply removing them from the table will cause GC to clean them up, assuming no other references are held.
Something naive like this:
local my_instances = {}
local function create_instance ()
local t = {}
my_instances[#my_instances + 1] = t
return t
end
local function destroy_instances ()
for i = 1, #my_instances do
my_instances[i] = nil
end
end
Alternatively, you can create a weak table, so you can operate on any instances that still have external references in your program. Once again, when all references outside of this table are lost, GC will kick in.
local my_instances = setmetatable({}, {
__mode = 'k'
})
local function create_instance ()
local t = {}
my_instances[t] = true
return t
end
If I have a class
classdef foo
properties
a = 0;
end
methods
function obj foo(obj)
obj.a = 5;
end
end
end
And a function
function result = GetFoo()
result = foo();
end
At the command interpreter:
>> x = GetFoo()
x =
foo
Properties:
a: 5
Methods
>> x.a = 10
x =
foo
Properties:
a: 10
Methods
this yields an instance of foo and the value 'a' can be assigned. However, doing the same in one step:
>> GetFoo().a = 10
GetFoo =
a: [1x1 struct]
This creates a new structure called GetFoo that overrides the class and gives it a member called 'a'. Rather than the code getting the result of GetFoo() (the class instance) and settings its property 'a' = 10, it does this instead. I can see that it is likely a hangover from the ability to create weakly typed structures on the fly and the code having to be backward compatible It also seems to be related to the fact that MATLAB has no concept of a pointer so every input/output argument is a deep copy and that the above even if it would work would be setting the value of a copy of the value GetFoo() is using to source its return object, then throwing it away.
Nonetheless the goal really is to be able to do all the work I need without creating and requiring to clear temporary variables. The intent is code maintainability as much as cosmetic style.
You're mixing together quite a few different issues/complaints in your question, but I suspect what you're looking for is a handle class. Inherit your class from handle (i.e. write classdef foo < handle, and your class will have what is basically pass-by-reference behavior. You're right that MATLAB doesn't use pointers, but with handle classes it does have references.
Separately, it's not possible in MATLAB to index in to the output of a function (i.e. to write GetFoo.a or GetFoo().a - you do need a temporary variable for that, whether or not it returns a value or handle class.
Note that in your example above, the result of the GetFoo().a = 10 is not an instance of foo with the property a equal to 10 - it is a structure with a field a equal to 10. Type class(GetFoo), and you'll see it's a struct, not a foo.
This is really ugly, but is just to raise the glove that was thrown about doing it in one line. :-)
First of all, I'll modify a bit the class so you'll see that the constructor is called:
classdef foo
properties
a = 0;
end;
methods
function obj = foo()
obj.a = 5;
display('foo!');
end;
end;
end
And the one-liner, ran in Command Window:
>> subsasgn(GetFoo(), struct('type', '.', 'subs', 'a'), 10);
foo!
Although I know about splats, still I can't quite grasp the last line from the following code:
class Borrowable extends Decorator
constructor: (#libraryItem) ->
removeBorrower: (borrower) ->
#borrowers[t..t] = [] if ( t = #borrowers.indexOf(borrower) ) > -1
Btw, this code was copied from https://github.com/aksharp/Design-Patterns/blob/master/CoffeeScript/Decorator.coffee
Im assuming this is Destructuring Assignment, still I can't quite get my head around what's it's happening behind the scenes.
Could you help clarify this?
Let's have a closer look at the last line:
#borrowers[t..t] = [] if ( t = #borrowers.indexOf(borrower) ) > -1
I'm not sure if this form counts as Destructuring Assignment, probably it is.
First, it calls #borrowers.indexOf(borrower) to check that borrower is present inside of the #borrowers array and to get it's index.
It's conventional to use borrower in #borrowers form instead of #borrowers.indexOf(borrower) > -1, but in this case we need index of an element as well.
If borrower is present in #borrowers, it gets the part of the #borrowers array between indexes t and t
#borrowers[t..t]
which is the [borrower], and assigns it to the empty array [], thus removing the borrower from #borrowers array.
Here is js-like equivalent of this assignment:
#borrowers.splice t, 1