NAME

       Statistics::Basic::Vector - a class for handling lists of numbers

SYNOPSIS

       Invoke it this way:

           my $vector      = vector(1,2,3);
           my $same_vector = vector($vector);
           my $different   = $vector->copy;

       This module tracks which of the other Statistics::Basic modules use it.  That's it's primary purpose.
       Although, it does also have overloads to print the vectors in a pretty fashion.

           print "$vector\n"; # pretty printed

METHODS

       new()
           The  constructor  can  take a single array ref or a single Statistics::Basic::Vector as its argument.
           It can also take a list of values.

           It returns a Statistics::Basic::Vector object.

           If given a vector object argument, this function will return the argument rather than creating a  new
           vector.   This  mainly  used  by  the  other  Statistics::Basic  modules  to try to prevent duplicate
           calculations.

           A vector's max size is set to the size of the argument or list on initialization.

           Note: normally you'd use the vector() constructor, rather than building these by hand using "new()".

       copy()
           Creates a new vector object with the same contents and size as this one and returns it.

               my $v1 = vector(3,7,9);
               my $v2 = $v1->copy(); # $v2 is a new object, separate vector
               my $v3 = vector($v1); # $v3 is the same object as $v1

       insert()
           Insert new values into the vector.  If the vector was already full (see "set_size()"), this will also
           shift oldest elements from the vector to compensate.

               $vector->insert( 4, 3 ); # insert a 3 and a 4

           This function returns the object itself, for chaining purposes.

       append() ginsert()
           Insert new values into the vector.   If  the  vector  was  already  full  (see  "set_size()"),  these
           functions  will  grow  the  size  of  the  vector to accommodate the new values, rather than shifting
           things.  "ginsert()" does the same thing.

               $vector->append( 4, 3 ); # append a 3 and a 4

           This function returns the object itself, for chaining purposes.

       query()
           "query()" returns the contents of the vector either as a list or as an arrayref.

               my @copy_of_contents      = $vector->query;
               my $reference_to_contents = $vector->query;

           Note that changing the $reference_to_contents will not usefully affect the  contents  of  the  vector
           itself, but it will adversely affect any computations based on the vector.  If you need to change the
           contents of a vector in a special way, use a Statistics::Basic::ComputedVector object instead.

           Keeping  $reference_to_contents  available  long  term should work acceptably (since it refers to the
           vector contents itself).

       query_filled()
           Returns true when the vector is the same size as the max size set  by  "set_size()".   This  function
           isn't useful unless operating under the effects of the nofill setting.

       query_size()
           Returns  the  current  number  of elements in the vector object (not the size set with "set_size()").
           This is almost never false unless you're using the nofill setting.

       set_size()
           Sets the max size of the vector.

               my $v1 = vector(1,2,3);
                  $v1->set_size(7); # [0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 3]

           Unless nofill is set, the vector will be filled with 0s (assuming the vector  wouldn't  otherwise  be
           full) on the oldest side of the vector (so an insert will push off one of the filled-zeros).

           This function returns the object itself, for chaining purposes.

               my $v1 = vector(2 .. 5)->set_size(5);
               # [0, 2, 3, 4, 5]

       set_vector()
           Given  a  vector or array ref, this will set the contents (and size) of the input vector to match the
           argument.  If given a vector object argument, this will make  the  two  vectors  match,  while  still
           remaining separate objects.

               my $v1 = vector(3,7,9);
               my $v2 = vector()->set_vector($v1);
               my $v3 = vector($v1); # $v3 is the same object as $v1

           This function returns the object itself, for chaining purposes.

OVERLOADS

       This  object is overloaded.  It tries to return an appropriate string for the vector and raises errors in
       numeric context.

       In boolean context, this object is always true (even when empty).

AUTHOR

       Paul Miller "<jettero@cpan.org>"

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright 2012 Paul Miller -- Licensed under the LGPL

SEE ALSO

       perl(1), Statistics::Basic

perl v5.36.0                                       2022-11-19                     Statistics::Basic::Vector(3pm)