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calc/help/rsearch
2017-05-21 15:38:36 -07:00

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NAME
rsearch - reverse search for an element satisfying a specified condition
SYNOPSIS
rsearch(a, b [, [c] [, [d] ] ])
TYPES
a matrix, list, association, or file open for reading
b string if a is a file, otherwise any
c integer, defaults to zero, size(a) or the current file-position
d integer, defaults to size(a) or current file-position
return nonnegative integer or null
DESCRIPTION
Negative values of c and nonpositive values of d are treated as
offsets from size(a), i.e. as if c were replaced by size(a) + c
and d by size(a) + d. Any such adjustment is assumed to have been
made.
The nature of the search depends on whether the rsearch() is called
with or without the fourth argument d.
Four argument case:
The search interval is as for search(a,b,c,d), i.e. the indices i
to be examined are to satisfy c <= i < d and 0 <= i < size(a)
for non-file a, and c <= i <= d - strlen(b), 0 <= i <= size(a) - strlen(b)
if a is a file stream. The difference from search(a,b,c,d) is that
the indices i, if any, are examined in decreasing order, so that
if a match is found, the returned integer i is the largest in the
search interval. The null value is returned if no match is found.
The default value for d is size(a) for non-file cases, and the current
file-position if a is a file. The default for c is zero except if a
is a file and d is an integer.
For non-file a, the search is for a[[i]] == b, except that if
the function accept() as been defined, it is for i such that
accept(a[[i]], b) tests as nonzero. Since the addresses (rather than
values) of a[[i]] and b are passed to accept(), the values of one or
both of a[[i]] and b may be changed during a call to rsearch().
In the file-stream case, if strlen(b) = n, a match at file-position i
corresponds to the n characters in the file starting at position i
matching those of the string b. The null value is returned if no
match is found. The final file position will correspond to the
last character if a match is found, or the start (lowest) position
of the search interval if no match is found, except that if no
reading of characters is required (e.g. if start > end), the original
file-position is not changed.
Two- or Three-argument case:
If a is not a file, the default value for c is size(a). If a is a
file, rsearch(a,b) = rsearch(a, b, ftell(a)), and
rsearch(a,b,) = rsearch(a, b, size(a)).
If a is not a file, the search starts, if at all, at the largest
non-negative index i for which i <= c and i < size(a), and continues
until a match a[[i]] == b is found, or if accept() has been defined,
accept(a[[i]], b) tests as nonzero; if no such i is found and returned,
the null value is returned.
If a is a file, the first, if any, file-position tested has the greatest
nonnegative position i such that i <= c and i <= size(a) - strlen(b).
The returned value is either the first i at which a match is found or
the null value if no match with the string b is found. The final
file-position will correspond to the last character of b, or the zero
position, according as a match is found or not found.
EXAMPLE
> L = list(2,"three",4i)
> rsearch(L,"three")
1
> rsearch(L,"threes")
> rsearch(L, 4i, 4)
> rsearch(L, 4i, 1)
2
> f = fopen("foo", "w+")
> fputs(f, "This file has 28 characters.")
> fflush(f)
> rsearch(f, "ha")
18
> ftell(f)
19
> rsearch(f, "ha", 17)
10
> rsearch(f, "ha", 9)
> ftell(f)
0
> rsearch(f, "ha")
18
> rsearch(f, "ha", 5, 500)
18
LIMITS
none
LIBRARY
none
SEE ALSO
assoc, list, mat, search