[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
implicit_str_to_num_ok=1
From: |
John W. Eaton |
Subject: |
implicit_str_to_num_ok=1 |
Date: |
Fri, 9 Jul 1999 09:04:34 -0500 (CDT) |
On 30-Jun-1999, Daniel Heiserer <address@hidden> wrote:
| Does anybody in this list runs with "implicit_str_to_num_ok=0"
It's the default, so I'm sure that many people use this setting.
| or lets say *REALLY* *NEEDS* "implicit_str_to_num_ok=0".
I think it is nice to know if a string is being treated as a numeric
object. It is not so nice to have strings automatically converted to
numeric objects without warning.
| If this is not the case I would recommend to make
| "implicit_str_to_num_ok=1" the default and kick the feature
| "implicit_str_to_num_ok=0" out.
Sorry, it's not going to happen.
| Once I start fiddling around with strings this feature makes
| be absolutely sick, because I cannot handle the BASE-DATATYPE
| of octave (The Matrix (not the movie ;-))) like a matrix
| because no matrix manipulation works on it as long as this
| dammed "implicit_str_to_num_ok=0" is set.
I don't think this is true. Here are some examples of matrix
manipulations that do work on strings:
GNU Octave, version 2.0.14 (i686-pc-linux-gnu).
Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 John W. Eaton.
This is free software with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
For details, type `warranty'.
octave:1> s = ["these"; "are"; "strings"]
s =
these
are
strings
octave:2> s'
ans =
tas
hrt
eer
s i
e n
g
s
octave:3> s(:,3)
ans =
e
e
r
What matrix manipulations don't work? If you think they should work
for strings, then maybe you should report the problems as bugs rather
than complaining on the help-octave list.
| I personally don't see ANY adavantage of "implicit_str_to_num_ok=0"
| except that the code tells me it makes no sense handling
| a string like a matrix. Why the hell not?
Uh, because a string is not a numeric object? Do you expect
svd (string_object)
to do anything useful? Wouldn't it be nice to have a warning if you
accidentally make this mistake in your code, rather than producing
garbage results?
jwe
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Octave is freely available under the terms of the GNU GPL. To ensure
that development continues, see www.che.wisc.edu/octave/giftform.html
Instructions for unsubscribing: www.che.wisc.edu/octave/archive.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------