How to address elements linearly in Python?

Question

In Matlab it is possible to access elements of a matrix linearly:

>> A=[1 2 3; 4 5 6]
A =
     1     2     3
     4     5     6
>> A(1)
ans =
     1
>> A(2)
ans =
     4
>> A(3)
ans =
     2

Looks like Matlab does reshape matrix on the fly.

Is it possible to do similar in Python?

If I do directly, it does not works:

A=[[1,2,3],[4,5,6]]

A[1]
Out[2]: [4, 5, 6]

MATLAB does not reshape on the fly. Data is stored in a single (column-major) column and *displayed* in the appropriate shape. Indexing with a single subscript is called [linear indexing](http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/math/matrix-indexing.html#f1-85511). Note that Python is row-major. — sco1, Feb 17 '16 at 18:50

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

0

Try using np.ravel (for a 1D view) or np.flatten (for a 1D copy) or np.flat (for an 1D iterator) from module NumPy.

More information here: From ND to 1D arrays

edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

Community

answered Feb 17 '16 at 18:47

Tony Babarino

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 17 '16 at 18:50

0

Python indexing starts at 0. For Matlab like functionality use Numpy:

import numpy as np
A = np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]])

A.flatten()[0]

Yields: 1

answered Feb 17 '16 at 18:50

wgwz

2 Answers2