Provided by: libset-infinite-perl_0.65-3_all
NAME
Set::Infinite - Sets of intervals
SYNOPSIS
use Set::Infinite; $set = Set::Infinite->new(1,2); # [1..2] print $set->union(5,6); # [1..2],[5..6]
DESCRIPTION
Set::Infinite is a Set Theory module for infinite sets. A set is a collection of objects. The objects that belong to a set are called its members, or "elements". As objects we allow (almost) anything: reals, integers, and objects (such as dates). We allow sets to be infinite. There is no account for the order of elements. For example, {1,2} = {2,1}. There is no account for repetition of elements. For example, {1,2,2} = {1,1,1,2} = {1,2}.
CONSTRUCTOR
new Creates a new set object: $set = Set::Infinite->new; # empty set $set = Set::Infinite->new( 10 ); # single element $set = Set::Infinite->new( 10, 20 ); # single range $set = Set::Infinite->new( [ 10, 20 ], [ 50, 70 ] ); # two ranges empty set $set = Set::Infinite->new; set with a single element $set = Set::Infinite->new( 10 ); $set = Set::Infinite->new( [ 10 ] ); set with a single span $set = Set::Infinite->new( 10, 20 ); $set = Set::Infinite->new( [ 10, 20 ] ); # 10 <= x <= 20 set with a single, open span $set = Set::Infinite->new( { a => 10, open_begin => 0, b => 20, open_end => 1, } ); # 10 <= x < 20 set with multiple spans $set = Set::Infinite->new( 10, 20, 100, 200 ); $set = Set::Infinite->new( [ 10, 20 ], [ 100, 200 ] ); $set = Set::Infinite->new( { a => 10, open_begin => 0, b => 20, open_end => 0, }, { a => 100, open_begin => 0, b => 200, open_end => 0, } ); The "new()" method expects ordered parameters. If you have unordered ranges, you can build the set using "union": @ranges = ( [ 10, 20 ], [ -10, 1 ] ); $set = Set::Infinite->new; $set = $set->union( @$_ ) for @ranges; The data structures passed to "new" must be immutable. So this is not good practice: $set = Set::Infinite->new( $object_a, $object_b ); $object_a->set_value( 10 ); This is the recommended way to do it: $set = Set::Infinite->new( $object_a->clone, $object_b->clone ); $object_a->set_value( 10 ); clone / copy Creates a new object, and copy the object data. empty_set Creates an empty set. If called from an existing set, the empty set inherits the "type" and "density" characteristics. universal_set Creates a set containing "all" possible elements. If called from an existing set, the universal set inherits the "type" and "density" characteristics.
SET FUNCTIONS
union $set = $set->union($b); Returns the set of all elements from both sets. This function behaves like an "OR" operation. $set1 = new Set::Infinite( [ 1, 4 ], [ 8, 12 ] ); $set2 = new Set::Infinite( [ 7, 20 ] ); print $set1->union( $set2 ); # output: [1..4],[7..20] intersection $set = $set->intersection($b); Returns the set of elements common to both sets. This function behaves like an "AND" operation. $set1 = new Set::Infinite( [ 1, 4 ], [ 8, 12 ] ); $set2 = new Set::Infinite( [ 7, 20 ] ); print $set1->intersection( $set2 ); # output: [8..12] complement minus difference $set = $set->complement; Returns the set of all elements that don't belong to the set. $set1 = new Set::Infinite( [ 1, 4 ], [ 8, 12 ] ); print $set1->complement; # output: (-inf..1),(4..8),(12..inf) The complement function might take a parameter: $set = $set->minus($b); Returns the set-difference, that is, the elements that don't belong to the given set. $set1 = new Set::Infinite( [ 1, 4 ], [ 8, 12 ] ); $set2 = new Set::Infinite( [ 7, 20 ] ); print $set1->minus( $set2 ); # output: [1..4] symmetric_difference Returns a set containing elements that are in either set, but not in both. This is the "set" version of "XOR".
DENSITY METHODS
real $set1 = $set->real; Returns a set with density "0". integer $set1 = $set->integer; Returns a set with density "1".
LOGIC FUNCTIONS
intersects $logic = $set->intersects($b); contains $logic = $set->contains($b); is_empty is_null $logic = $set->is_null; is_nonempty This set that has at least 1 element. is_span This set that has a single span or interval. is_singleton This set that has a single element. is_subset( $set ) Every element of this set is a member of the given set. is_proper_subset( $set ) Every element of this set is a member of the given set. Some members of the given set are not elements of this set. is_disjoint( $set ) The given set has no elements in common with this set. is_too_complex Sometimes a set might be too complex to enumerate or print. This happens with sets that represent infinite recurrences, such as when you ask for a quantization on a set bounded by -inf or inf. See also: "count" method.
SCALAR FUNCTIONS
min $i = $set->min; max $i = $set->max; size $i = $set->size; count $i = $set->count;
OVERLOADED OPERATORS
stringification print $set; $str = "$set"; See also: "as_string". comparison sort > < == >= <= <=> See also: "spaceship" method.
CLASS METHODS
Set::Infinite->separators(@i) chooses the interval separators for stringification. default are [ ] ( ) '..' ','. inf returns an 'Infinity' number. minus_inf returns '-Infinity' number. type type( "My::Class::Name" ) Chooses a default object data type. Default is none (a normal Perl SCALAR).
SPECIAL SET FUNCTIONS
span $set1 = $set->span; Returns the set span. until Extends a set until another: 0,5,7 -> until 2,6,10 gives [0..2), [5..6), [7..10) start_set end_set These methods do the inverse of the "until" method. Given: [0..2), [5..6), [7..10) start_set is: 0,5,7 end_set is: 2,6,10 intersected_spans $set = $set1->intersected_spans( $set2 ); The method returns a new set, containing all spans that are intersected by the given set. Unlike the "intersection" method, the spans are not modified. See diagram below: set1 [....] [....] [....] [....] set2 [................] intersection [.] [....] [.] intersected_spans [....] [....] [....] quantize quantize( parameters ) Makes equal-sized subsets. Returns an ordered set of equal-sized subsets. Example: $set = Set::Infinite->new([1,3]); print join (" ", $set->quantize( quant => 1 ) ); Gives: [1..2) [2..3) [3..4) select select( parameters ) Selects set spans based on their ordered positions "select" has a behaviour similar to an array "slice". by - default=All count - default=Infinity 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 # original set 0 1 2 # count => 3 1 6 # by => [ -2, 1 ] offset offset ( parameters ) Offsets the subsets. Parameters: value - default=[0,0] mode - default='offset'. Possible values are: 'offset', 'begin', 'end'. unit - type of value. Can be 'days', 'weeks', 'hours', 'minutes', 'seconds'. iterate iterate ( sub { } , @args ) Iterates on the set spans, over a callback subroutine. Returns the union of all partial results. The callback argument $_[0] is a span. If there are additional arguments they are passed to the callback. The callback can return a span, a hashref (see "Set::Infinite::Basic"), a scalar, an object, or "undef". [EXPERIMENTAL] "iterate" accepts an optional "backtrack_callback" argument. The purpose of the "backtrack_callback" is to reverse the iterate() function, overcoming the limitations of the internal backtracking algorithm. The syntax is: iterate ( sub { } , backtrack_callback => sub { }, @args ) The "backtrack_callback" can return a span, a hashref, a scalar, an object, or "undef". For example, the following snippet adds a constant to each element of an unbounded set: $set1 = $set->iterate( sub { $_[0]->min + 54, $_[0]->max + 54 }, backtrack_callback => sub { $_[0]->min - 54, $_[0]->max - 54 }, ); first / last first / last In scalar context returns the first or last interval of a set. In list context returns the first or last interval of a set, and the remaining set (the 'tail'). See also: "min", "max", "min_a", "max_a" methods. type type( "My::Class::Name" ) Chooses a default object data type. default is none (a normal perl SCALAR).
INTERNAL FUNCTIONS
_backtrack $set->_backtrack( 'intersection', $b ); Internal function to evaluate recurrences. numeric $set->numeric; Internal function to ignore the set "type". It is used in some internal optimizations, when it is possible to use scalar values instead of objects. fixtype $set->fixtype; Internal function to fix the result of operations that use the numeric() function. tolerance $set = $set->tolerance(0) # defaults to real sets (default) $set = $set->tolerance(1) # defaults to integer sets Internal function for changing the set "density". min_a ($min, $min_is_open) = $set->min_a; max_a ($max, $max_is_open) = $set->max_a; as_string Implements the "stringification" operator. Stringification of unbounded recurrences is not implemented. Unbounded recurrences are stringified as "function descriptions", if the class variable $PRETTY_PRINT is set. spaceship Implements the "comparison" operator. Comparison of unbounded recurrences is not implemented.
CAVEATS
• constructor "span" notation $set = Set::Infinite->new(10,1); Will be interpreted as [1..10] • constructor "multiple-span" notation $set = Set::Infinite->new(1,2,3,4); Will be interpreted as [1..2],[3..4] instead of [1,2,3,4]. You probably want ->new([1],[2],[3],[4]) instead, or maybe ->new(1,4) • "range operator" $set = Set::Infinite->new(1..3); Will be interpreted as [1..2],3 instead of [1,2,3]. You probably want ->new(1,3) instead.
INTERNALS
The base set object, without recurrences, is a "Set::Infinite::Basic". A recurrence-set is represented by a method name, one or two parent objects, and extra arguments. The "list" key is set to an empty array, and the "too_complex" key is set to 1. This is a structure that holds the union of two "complex sets": { too_complex => 1, # "this is a recurrence" list => [ ], # not used method => 'union', # function name parent => [ $set1, $set2 ], # "leaves" in the syntax-tree param => [ ] # optional arguments for the function } This is a structure that holds the complement of a "complex set": { too_complex => 1, # "this is a recurrence" list => [ ], # not used method => 'complement', # function name parent => $set, # "leaf" in the syntax-tree param => [ ] # optional arguments for the function }
SEE ALSO
See modules DateTime::Set, DateTime::Event::Recurrence, DateTime::Event::ICal, DateTime::Event::Cron for up-to-date information on date-sets. The perl-date-time project <http://datetime.perl.org>
AUTHOR
Flavio S. Glock <fglock@gmail.com>
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2003 Flavio Soibelmann Glock. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.