Re: [Matplotlib-users] load function

[Chris B. <Chr...@no...>]

Python is not MATLAB!

Humufr wrote:
> I agree with you but in the load function documentation I can read this:
> and not a file like:
> 
> 1 1 1 1 1
> 2 2 2 2 2
> 
> it's why I suggest to add the transpose in the load function.

However, Matlab does exactly this, for the same reason. I always thought 
that was stupid, but a goal of pylab is to be matlab compatible, so it 
should probably not be transposed automatically.

> For the comments for the beggining of an array indexing I know it :) but 
> I hate it (it's just a tast :) )

You may come to love it. I know I do. While indexing from 1 seems most 
natural at first, it results in ugly arithmetic when slicing. I came 
from Matlab, and python's indexing seemed ugly at first, but then I 
found that so many thing work much more naturally:

len(a[i:j]) = j-i
len(s[-3:]) = 3

l[i:j] + l[j:k] = l[i:k]

You'd be adding and subtracting a lot of ones if python had one-based 
indexing.

Also, if you have a grid, spaced out by DeltaX:

The X -coord of a[i] is:
X0 + i*DeltaX

With one based indexing, it would be:
X0 + (i-1) * DeltaX

But most of all, Python indexes from 0, whether you like it or not, so 
it's probably best to stick with that in Python functions.

-Chris

-- 
Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer
                                     		
NOAA/OR&R/HAZMAT         (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
Seattle, WA  98115       (206) 526-6317   main reception

Chr...@no...