Re: REPLICATE with arrays

[davidf(at)dfanning.com (David Fanning)]

Vince Hradil (hradilv@yahoo.com) writes:

> I often have the need to replicate an array, but IDL's replicate only
> works with scalars.  Does anyone have any tips on the most efficient,
> simplest, clearest (you choose) way to do this?

I am such a sucker for these kinds of articles. :-(

I don't know about "efficient, simplest, clearest", but
here is something that works for the three cases (1D, 2D,
and 3D arrays) I tried it on. I leave it to your imagination
to figure out the rest of the cases. It seemed like details
to me. :-)

Cheers,

David

***********************************************************************
FUNCTION Replicate_Array, array, number

   ; Obtain information about the array.
   
ndims = Size(array, /N_Dimensions)
dims = Size(array, /Dimensions)
type = Size(array, /TName)
  
   ; Initialize some variables.
   
snumber = StrTrim(number,2)
newArray = 0

   ; Create the new array and populate it with the old array.
   
CASE ndims OF
   1: BEGIN
      command = 'newArray = Make_Array(' + StrTrim(dims[0],2) + ',' $
         + snumber + ',' + type + '=1)'
      ok = Execute(command)
      FOR j=0,number-1 DO newArray[*,j] = array
      END
   2: BEGIN
      command = 'newArray = Make_Array(' + StrTrim(dims[0],2) + ',' + $
         StrTrim(dims[1],2) + ',' + snumber + ',' + type + '=1)'
      ok = Execute(command)
      FOR j=0,number-1 DO newArray[*,*,j] = array
      END
   3: BEGIN
      command = 'newArray = Make_Array(' + StrTrim(dims[0],2) + ',' + $
         StrTrim(dims[1],2) + ',' + StrTrim(dims[2],2) + ','  + snumber $
         + ',' + type + '=1)'
      ok = Execute(command)
      FOR j=0,number-1 DO newArray[*,*,*,j] = array
      END
   ELSE: Print, 'Sorry, figure this out yourself. :-)'
ENDCASE

RETURN, newArray
END
***********************************************************************

David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
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