NO DATA, like NaN, should be treated with caution. For example, what are the answers to the following questions?
NODATA = NODATA NODATA = 314159 NODATA ~: NODATA NODATA > NODATA $ NODATA 3 $ NODATA NODATA $ 3 3+NODATA 0 1 2,NODATA /: 0 1 2,NODATA < NODATA > NODATA NODATA e. a. Last but not least, NODATA=NaN ----- Original Message ----- From: James C Field <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, September 5, 2009 11:13 Subject: Re: [Jchat] wishlist adverb: ignore indices To: Chat forum <[email protected]> > Raul Miller wrote: > > On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 4:22 PM, James C > Field<[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> What do you want the "fill" marker to be? > >> Blank fill for character or zero fill for integer? Real or > imaginary?>> Perhaps a simple extension such as used in APL TAKE. > >> > > > > I do not understand how your question relates to what I > > want: What is a "marker"? > > > > But, yes, fill would be 0 for numbers, space for characters > > and ace for boxes. > > > > > A MARKER in my conception is an indication in or of a data field > that no > data is present or offered. Data is simply absent. Programmers > frequently employ subterfuges or special flags or tags to > indicate that > there is no data in a field. Theis practice could be > characterised as a > kludge. > > NO DATA should be a universally understood condition in data > storage and > retrieval. APL take used zero and blank as fill. > > I propose that NO DATA should be a useful alternative fill. > Obviously > this is complicated in its implications but, I think, worth thought. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
