Re: problem plotting "N-d object"

[Sergei Steshenko]

----- Original Message -----
> From: Ben Abbott <address@hidden>
> To: Sergei Steshenko <address@hidden>
> Cc: CdeMills <address@hidden>; "address@hidden" <address@hidden>
> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 7:22 PM
> Subject: Re: problem plotting "N-d object"
> 
[snip]
> 
> The m-file language defines a 1x1xN object as an Nd array with 3 dimensions.
> 
> At the same time, the information contained in a 1x1xN array is effectively 
> 1d.
> 
> In either event, I'd rather avoid debating semantics and prefer to focus on 
> questions like ...
> 
[snip]
> Ben
>

But you are avoiding discussing the root cause/issue causing such kinds of 
problems in the first place.

To me it looks this way:

1) a vector _might_ need 'column' trait;
2) a vector _might_ need 'row' trait;
3) a vector is always at the same time just a generic traitless vector (an 
ordered set of N numbers, or, as they call it in "C", a 1d array).

For case 3) transposing is a NOP; for cases 1), 2) transposing is flipping 
'column' <-> 'row' trait.

A 1x1xN array should always automatically become generic vector - exactly 
because "the information contained in a 1x1xN array is effectively 1d".

I.e. I see the originally reported by me problem as manifestation of a 
fundamental design flaw (by the way, do BLAS/LAPACK at all have a notion of row 
and column vectors ?).

And fixing the symptoms in the 'plot' family of function is just fixing the 
symptoms, not the root cause.

Regards,
  Sergei.

P.S. I put quotes around <<<N-d object>>> in the subject exactly because I 
don't consider the item Octave complains about to be an N-d object.