Adds some aliases to avoid breaking changes, and adds an example of how to write functionality with the new types

Author: akern40

.gitignore

@@ -4,3 +4,6 @@ target/
 
 # Editor settings
 .vscode
+
+# Apple details
+**/.DS_Store

examples/functions_and_traits.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+//! Examples of how to write functions and traits that operate on `ndarray` types.
+//!
+//! `ndarray` has four kinds of array types that users may interact with:
+//!     1. [`ArrayBase`], the owner of the layout that describes an array in memory;
+//!         this includes [`ndarray::Array`], [`ndarray::ArcArray`], [`ndarray::ArrayView`],
+//!         [`ndarray::RawArrayView`], and other variants.
+//!     2. [`ArrayRef`], which represents a read-safe, uniquely-owned look at an array.
+//!     3. [`RawRef`], which represents a read-unsafe, possibly-shared look at an array.
+//!     4. [`LayoutRef`], which represents a look at an array's underlying structure,
+//!         but does not allow data reading of any kind.
+//!
+//! Below, we illustrate how to write functions and traits for most variants of these types.
+
+use ndarray::{ArrayBase, ArrayRef, Data, DataMut, Dimension, LayoutRef, RawData, RawDataMut, RawRef};
+
+/// Take an array with the most basic requirements.
+///
+/// This function takes its data as owning. It is very rare that a user will need to specifically
+/// take a reference to an `ArrayBase`, rather than to one of the other four types.
+#[rustfmt::skip]
+fn takes_base_raw<S: RawData, D>(arr: ArrayBase<S, D>) -> ArrayBase<S, D>
+{
+    // These skip from a possibly-raw array to `RawRef` and `LayoutRef`, and so must go through `AsRef`
+    takes_rawref(arr.as_ref()); // Caller uses `.as_ref`
+    takes_rawref_asref(&arr);   // Implementor uses `.as_ref`
+    takes_layout(arr.as_ref()); // Caller uses `.as_ref`
+    takes_layout_asref(&arr);   // Implementor uses `.as_ref`
+
+    arr
+}
+
+/// Similar to above, but allow us to read the underlying data.
+#[rustfmt::skip]
+fn takes_base_raw_mut<S: RawDataMut, D>(mut arr: ArrayBase<S, D>) -> ArrayBase<S, D>
+{
+    // These skip from a possibly-raw array to `RawRef` and `LayoutRef`, and so must go through `AsMut`
+    takes_rawref_mut(arr.as_mut()); // Caller uses `.as_mut`
+    takes_rawref_asmut(&mut arr);   // Implementor uses `.as_mut`
+    takes_layout_mut(arr.as_mut()); // Caller uses `.as_mut`
+    takes_layout_asmut(&mut arr);   // Implementor uses `.as_mut`
+
+    arr
+}
+
+/// Now take an array whose data is safe to read.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_base<S: Data, D>(mut arr: ArrayBase<S, D>) -> ArrayBase<S, D>
+{
+    // Raw call
+    arr = takes_base_raw(arr);
+
+    // No need for AsRef, since data is safe
+    takes_arrref(&arr);
+    takes_rawref(&arr);
+    takes_rawref_asref(&arr);
+    takes_layout(&arr);
+    takes_layout_asref(&arr);
+
+    arr
+}
+
+/// Now, an array whose data is safe to read and that we can mutate.
+///
+/// Notice that we include now a trait bound on `D: Dimension`; this is necessary in order
+/// for the `ArrayBase` to dereference to an `ArrayRef` (or to any of the other types).
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_base_mut<S: DataMut, D: Dimension>(mut arr: ArrayBase<S, D>) -> ArrayBase<S, D>
+{
+    // Raw call
+    arr = takes_base_raw_mut(arr);
+
+    // No need for AsMut, since data is safe
+    takes_arrref_mut(&mut arr);
+    takes_rawref_mut(&mut arr);
+    takes_rawref_asmut(&mut arr);
+    takes_layout_mut(&mut arr);
+    takes_layout_asmut(&mut arr);
+
+    arr
+}
+
+/// Now for new stuff: we want to read (but not alter) any array whose data is safe to read.
+///
+/// This is probably the most common functionality that one would want to write.
+/// As we'll see below, calling this function is very simple for `ArrayBase<S: Data, D>`.
+fn takes_arrref<A, D>(arr: &ArrayRef<A, D>)
+{
+    // No need for AsRef, since data is safe
+    takes_rawref(arr);
+    takes_rawref_asref(arr);
+    takes_layout(arr);
+    takes_layout_asref(arr);
+}
+
+/// Now we want any array whose data is safe to mutate.
+///
+/// **Importantly**, any array passed to this function is guaranteed to uniquely point to its data.
+/// As a result, passing a shared array to this function will **silently** un-share the array.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_arrref_mut<A, D>(arr: &mut ArrayRef<A, D>)
+{
+    // Immutable call
+    takes_arrref(arr);
+
+    // No need for AsMut, since data is safe
+    takes_rawref_mut(arr);
+    takes_rawref_asmut(arr);
+    takes_layout_mut(arr);
+    takes_rawref_asmut(arr);
+}
+
+/// Now, we no longer care about whether we can safely read data.
+///
+/// This is probably the rarest type to deal with, since `LayoutRef` can access and modify an array's
+/// shape and strides, and even do in-place slicing. As a result, `RawRef` is only for functionality
+/// that requires unsafe data access, something that `LayoutRef` can't do.
+///
+/// Writing functions and traits that deal with `RawRef`s and `LayoutRef`s can be done two ways:
+///     1. Directly on the types; calling these functions on arrays whose data are not known to be safe
+///         to dereference (i.e., raw array views or `ArrayBase<S: RawData, D>`) must explicitly call `.as_ref()`.
+///     2. Via a generic with `: AsRef<RawRef<A, D>>`; doing this will allow direct calling for all `ArrayBase` and
+///         `ArrayRef` instances.
+/// We'll demonstrate #1 here for both immutable and mutable references, then #2 directly below.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_rawref<A, D>(arr: &RawRef<A, D>)
+{
+    takes_layout(arr);
+    takes_layout_asref(arr);
+}
+
+/// Mutable, directly take `RawRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_rawref_mut<A, D>(arr: &mut RawRef<A, D>)
+{
+    takes_layout(arr);
+    takes_layout_asmut(arr);
+}
+
+/// Immutable, take a generic that implements `AsRef` to `RawRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_rawref_asref<T, A, D>(_arr: &T)
+where T: AsRef<RawRef<A, D>>
+{
+    takes_layout(_arr.as_ref());
+    takes_layout_asref(_arr.as_ref());
+}
+
+/// Mutable, take a generic that implements `AsMut` to `RawRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_rawref_asmut<T, A, D>(_arr: &mut T)
+where T: AsMut<RawRef<A, D>>
+{
+    takes_layout_mut(_arr.as_mut());
+    takes_layout_asmut(_arr.as_mut());
+}
+
+/// Finally, there's `LayoutRef`: this type provides read and write access to an array's *structure*, but not its *data*.
+///
+/// Practically, this means that functions that only read/modify an array's shape or strides,
+/// such as checking dimensionality or slicing, should take `LayoutRef`.
+///
+/// Like `RawRef`, functions can be written either directly on `LayoutRef` or as generics with `: AsRef<LayoutRef<A, D>>>`.
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_layout<A, D>(_arr: &LayoutRef<A, D>) {}
+
+/// Mutable, directly take `LayoutRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_layout_mut<A, D>(_arr: &mut LayoutRef<A, D>) {}
+
+/// Immutable, take a generic that implements `AsRef` to `LayoutRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_layout_asref<T: AsRef<LayoutRef<A, D>>, A, D>(_arr: &T) {}
+
+/// Mutable, take a generic that implements `AsMut` to `LayoutRef`
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn takes_layout_asmut<T: AsMut<LayoutRef<A, D>>, A, D>(_arr: &mut T) {}
+
+fn main() {}

src/alias_slicing.rs renamed to src/alias_asref.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
-use crate::{iter::Axes, ArrayBase, Axis, AxisDescription, Dimension, LayoutRef, RawData, Slice, SliceArg};
+use crate::{
+    iter::Axes,
+    ArrayBase,
+    Axis,
+    AxisDescription,
+    Dimension,
+    LayoutRef,
+    RawArrayView,
+    RawData,
+    RawRef,
+    Slice,
+    SliceArg,
+};
 
 impl<S: RawData, D: Dimension> ArrayBase<S, D>
 {
@@ -69,19 +81,19 @@ impl<S: RawData, D: Dimension> ArrayBase<S, D>
     /// contiguous in memory, it has custom strides, etc.
     pub fn is_standard_layout(&self) -> bool
     {
-        self.as_ref().is_standard_layout()
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).is_standard_layout()
     }
 
     /// Return true if the array is known to be contiguous.
     pub(crate) fn is_contiguous(&self) -> bool
     {
-        self.as_ref().is_contiguous()
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).is_contiguous()
     }
 
     /// Return an iterator over the length and stride of each axis.
     pub fn axes(&self) -> Axes<'_, D>
     {
-        self.as_ref().axes()
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).axes()
     }
 
     /*
@@ -170,9 +182,129 @@ impl<S: RawData, D: Dimension> ArrayBase<S, D>
         self.as_mut().merge_axes(take, into)
     }
 
+    /// Return a raw view of the array.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn raw_view(&self) -> RawArrayView<S::Elem, D>
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<RawRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).raw_view()
+    }
+
+    /// Return a pointer to the first element in the array.
+    ///
+    /// Raw access to array elements needs to follow the strided indexing
+    /// scheme: an element at multi-index *I* in an array with strides *S* is
+    /// located at offset
+    ///
+    /// *Σ<sub>0 ≤ k < d</sub> I<sub>k</sub> × S<sub>k</sub>*
+    ///
+    /// where *d* is `self.ndim()`.
+    #[inline(always)]
+    pub fn as_ptr(&self) -> *const S::Elem
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<RawRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).as_ptr()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the total number of elements in the array.
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).len()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the length of `axis`.
+    ///
+    /// The axis should be in the range `Axis(` 0 .. *n* `)` where *n* is the
+    /// number of dimensions (axes) of the array.
+    ///
+    /// ***Panics*** if the axis is out of bounds.
+    #[track_caller]
+    pub fn len_of(&self, axis: Axis) -> usize
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).len_of(axis)
+    }
+
+    /// Return whether the array has any elements
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).is_empty()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the number of dimensions (axes) in the array
+    pub fn ndim(&self) -> usize
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).ndim()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the shape of the array in its “pattern” form,
+    /// an integer in the one-dimensional case, tuple in the n-dimensional cases
+    /// and so on.
+    pub fn dim(&self) -> D::Pattern
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).dim()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the shape of the array as it's stored in the array.
+    ///
+    /// This is primarily useful for passing to other `ArrayBase`
+    /// functions, such as when creating another array of the same
+    /// shape and dimensionality.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// use ndarray::Array;
+    ///
+    /// let a = Array::from_elem((2, 3), 5.);
+    ///
+    /// // Create an array of zeros that's the same shape and dimensionality as `a`.
+    /// let b = Array::<f64, _>::zeros(a.raw_dim());
+    /// ```
+    pub fn raw_dim(&self) -> D
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).raw_dim()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the shape of the array as a slice.
+    ///
+    /// Note that you probably don't want to use this to create an array of the
+    /// same shape as another array because creating an array with e.g.
+    /// [`Array::zeros()`](ArrayBase::zeros) using a shape of type `&[usize]`
+    /// results in a dynamic-dimensional array. If you want to create an array
+    /// that has the same shape and dimensionality as another array, use
+    /// [`.raw_dim()`](ArrayBase::raw_dim) instead:
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// use ndarray::{Array, Array2};
+    ///
+    /// let a = Array2::<i32>::zeros((3, 4));
+    /// let shape = a.shape();
+    /// assert_eq!(shape, &[3, 4]);
+    ///
+    /// // Since `a.shape()` returned `&[usize]`, we get an `ArrayD` instance:
+    /// let b = Array::zeros(shape);
+    /// assert_eq!(a.clone().into_dyn(), b);
+    ///
+    /// // To get the same dimension type, use `.raw_dim()` instead:
+    /// let c = Array::zeros(a.raw_dim());
+    /// assert_eq!(a, c);
+    /// ```
+    pub fn shape(&self) -> &[usize]
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).shape()
+    }
+
     /// Return the strides of the array as a slice.
     pub fn strides(&self) -> &[isize]
     {
-        self.as_ref().strides()
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).strides()
+    }
+
+    /// Return the stride of `axis`.
+    ///
+    /// The axis should be in the range `Axis(` 0 .. *n* `)` where *n* is the
+    /// number of dimensions (axes) of the array.
+    ///
+    /// ***Panics*** if the axis is out of bounds.
+    #[track_caller]
+    pub fn stride_of(&self, axis: Axis) -> isize
+    {
+        <Self as AsRef<LayoutRef<_, _>>>::as_ref(self).stride_of(axis)
     }
 }

src/impl_2d.rs

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ impl<A> LayoutRef<A, Ix2>
     /// ```
     pub fn nrows(&self) -> usize
     {
-        self.as_ref().len_of(Axis(0))
+        self.len_of(Axis(0))
     }
 }
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ impl<A> LayoutRef<A, Ix2>
     /// ```
     pub fn ncols(&self) -> usize
     {
-        self.as_ref().len_of(Axis(1))
+        self.len_of(Axis(1))
     }
 
     /// Return true if the array is square, false otherwise.
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ impl<A> LayoutRef<A, Ix2>
     /// ```
     pub fn is_square(&self) -> bool
     {
-        let (m, n) = self.as_ref().dim();
+        let (m, n) = self.dim();
         m == n
     }
 }