NAME
List::NSect - Cuts or divides a list into N equal parts.
SYNOPSIS
use List::NSect;
my @sections=nsect(5 => "a" .. "z");
foreach my $section (@sections) {
print join(",", @$section), "\n";
}Output
a,b,c,d,e,f
g,h,i,j,k
l,m,n,o,p
q,r,s,t,u
v,w,x,y,zDESCRIPTION
List::NSect is an Exporter that exports the function "nsect".
nsect like bisect not mosquito
I had a hard time deciding on a function name that was distinct and succinct. When I searched the Internet for "divide into equal parts", "bisect - to divide into two equal parts" was one of the top hits. I then tried to find a synonym for "divide into N equal parts". I soon realized that there is no single English word for the concept: thus "nsect".
Other function names that I was contemplating are "chunk" (to cut, break, or form into chunks), "allot" (to divide or distribute by share or portion) and "apportion" (to distribute or allocate proportionally; divide and assign according to some rule of proportional distribution). None of these names implies the need for exactly N sections instead of some other distribution.
I use this capability all of the time which is a specific implementation of List::MoreUtils::part. You may ask `why not just use "part" directly from List::MoreUtils?` Well, there are many edge cases. Please, take a look at the code; This is Perl!
USAGE
use List::NSect;
my @sections=nsect($n => @list); #returns ([...], [...], [...], ...); #$n count of arrray references
use List::NSect qw{spart};
my @batches=spart($n => @list); #returns ([...], [...], [...], ...); #array reference of $n sizeFUNCTION
nsect
Cuts or divides a list into N equal or nearly equal parts.
Returns an array of array references given a scalar number of sections and a list.
my @sections=nsect(4, 1 .. 17); #returns ([1,2,3,4,5],[6,7,8,9],[10,11,12,13],[14,15,16,17]);
my $sections=nsect(4, 1 .. 17); #returns [[1,2,3,4,5],[6,7,8,9],[10,11,12,13],[14,15,16,17]];spart (not exported by default)
Cut or divides a list into parts each of size N.
Returns an array of array references given a scalar size and a list.
my @parts=spart(4, 1 .. 17); #returns ([1,2,3,4],[5,6,7,8],[9,10,11,12],[13,14,15,16],[17]);
my $parts=spart(4, 1 .. 17); #returns [[1,2,3,4],[5,6,7,8],[9,10,11,12],[13,14,15,16],[17]];Note: The last array reference may be short.
deal (not exported by default)
Deals a list into hands
Returns an array of array references given a scalar size and a list.
my @hands=deal(4, 1 .. 17); #returns ([1,5,9,13,17],[2,6,10,14],[3,7,11,15],[4,8,12,16]);LIMITATIONS
my @sections=nsect($n => @list);The nsect function will ALWAYS return an array (array reference in scalar context). So, that you can always pass the return directly into a foreach loop without the need to test for edge cases. However, I made the executive decision that if $n > scalar(@list) the returned array, @sections, is not $n in size but rather scalar(@list) in size.
my @sections=nsect(100, "a", "b", "c"); #scalar(@sections) == 3 != 100;BUGS
Please log on RT and send an email to the author.
SUPPORT
DavisNetworks.com supports all Perl applications including this package.
AUTHOR
Michael R. Davis
CPAN ID: MRDVT
Satellite Tracking of People, LLC
mdavis@stopllc.com
http://www.stopllc.com/COPYRIGHT
This program is free software licensed under the...
The General Public License (GPL) Version 2, June 1991The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.
SEE ALSO
List::MoreUtils part and natatime, Array::Group, http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=516499, http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=861938, Parallel::ForkManager