carray 2.0.0 → 3.0.0

data/ext/ca_obj_grid.c

@@ -1,15 +1,41 @@
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  ca_obj_grid.c
+  CAGrid -- a coordinate-selected view: each axis independently picks a
+  set of parent indices (whole axis, a contiguous range, or an arbitrary
+  index list) and the view is their Cartesian product.
 
-  This file is part of Ruby/CArray extension library.
-
-  Copyright (C) 2005-2020 Hiroki Motoyoshi
+  Gather / scatter / fill_value all go through the shared per-axis
+  descriptor engine in ca_axis_dispatch.c; this file emits the per-axis
+  descriptor (ca_grid_describe_axes) and holds the region-delivery
+  (xfer_stride / xfer_addrs) and fold_stride paths.  Sibling of
+  ca_obj_select_axis.c (CASelectAxis), which rb_ca_grid routes to for the
+  single-boolean-axis slab-copy fast path.
 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #include "carray.h"
 
+/* Per-axis tagged kind.  Each axis is either STRIDE (start/step/count,
+   no allocation) or INDEX (an owned ca_size_t index snapshot).  A Range
+   argument is detected at rb_ca_grid and stored as STRIDE, so its
+   arithmetic-progression structure is available to axis-merge; a nil-arg
+   axis is STRIDE(0, dim, 1) and allocates nothing. */
+typedef enum {
+  CAG_AXIS_STRIDE = 0,
+  CAG_AXIS_INDEX  = 1
+} cag_axis_kind_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+  cag_axis_kind_t  kind;
+  ca_size_t        count;     /* = ca->dim[k] (view's output size along axis) */
+  /* STRIDE-only */
+  ca_size_t        start;
+  ca_size_t        step;
+  /* INDEX-only.  Owned in the non-share case (xfree'd by free_ca_grid),
+     aliased in the share case (parent owns; CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX). */
+  ca_size_t       *indices;
+} cag_axis_t;
+
 typedef struct {
   int16_t   obj_type;
   int8_t    data_type;
@@ -20,21 +46,60 @@ typedef struct {
   ca_size_t  *dim;
   char     *ptr;
   CArray   *mask;
+  char     *_pool;         /* framework-managed pool buffer (NULL = legacy ALLOC_N path). */
   CArray   *parent;
   uint32_t  attach;
   uint8_t   nosync;
   /* -------------*/
-  CArray  **grid;
-  int8_t   *contig;
+  cag_axis_t  *axes;     /* [ndim], owned (non-share) or aliased (share) */
 } CAGrid;
 
+static size_t
+ca_grid_dsize (const void *ap)
+{
+  const CAGrid *ca = (const CAGrid *) ap;
+  size_t total = sizeof(CAGrid)
+               + ca->ndim * sizeof(ca_size_t)        /* dim */
+               + ca->ndim * sizeof(cag_axis_t);      /* axes */
+  /* indices for INDEX axes (variable per-axis count; STRIDE axes
+     contribute 0 — the big win vs. the legacy identity-allocation
+     pattern). */
+  int8_t k;
+  for (k = 0; k < ca->ndim; k++) {
+    if (ca->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_INDEX && ca->axes[k].indices) {
+      total += ca->axes[k].count * sizeof(ca_size_t);
+    }
+  }
+  return total;
+}
+
+/* Pool framework hooks: CAGrid owns dim (ndim ca_size_t), axes (ndim
+   cag_axis_t), and per-INDEX-axis indices buffers.  Only `dim` is always
+   owned and ndim-sized, so only dim moves into the _pool; `axes` is
+   sometimes aliased (CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX) and the per-axis `indices`
+   buffers are variable-size, so both stay on their own ALLOC_N path
+   (cf. CAWindow's fill). */
+static size_t
+ca_grid_pool_bytes (int8_t ndim)
+{
+  ca_size_t n = (ndim > 0) ? ndim : 1;
+  return (size_t) n * sizeof(ca_size_t);
+}
+
+static void
+ca_grid_pool_init (void *ap, int8_t ndim)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  ca->dim = (ca_size_t *) ca->_pool;
+}
+
 const rb_data_type_t cagrid_data_type = {
-    .parent = &cavirtual_data_type,
+    .parent = &caview_data_type,
     .wrap_struct_name = "CAGrid",
     .function = {
         .dmark = ca_mark,
         .dfree = ca_free,
-        .dsize = NULL,
+        .dsize = ca_grid_dsize,
         .dcompact = NULL
     },
     .flags = RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
@@ -46,7 +111,7 @@ const rb_data_type_t cagrid_mask_data_type = {
     .function = {
         .dmark = NULL,
         .dfree = ca_free_nop,
-        .dsize = NULL,
+        .dsize = ca_grid_dsize,
         .dcompact = NULL
     },
     .flags = RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
@@ -55,40 +120,47 @@ const rb_data_type_t cagrid_mask_data_type = {
 static VALUE rb_cCAGrid;
 static VALUE rb_cCAGridMask;
 
-/* yard:
-  class CAGrid < CAVirtual # :nodoc:
-  end
-*/
-
 static int8_t CA_OBJ_GRID;
 
+/* Setup: caller passes ndim + per-axis protos (cag_axis_t).  Copies the
+   fields and, for INDEX axes, snapshots the indices into an owned buffer.
+   The share path (share=1, from initialize_copy and create_mask) aliases
+   the caller's protos buffer instead, tying its lifetime to the source
+   CAGrid (free_ca_grid skips the xfree under CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX). */
 int
-ca_grid_setup (CAGrid *ca, CArray *parent, ca_size_t *dim,
-               CArray **grid, int8_t *contig, int share)
+ca_grid_setup (CAGrid *ca, CArray *parent, int8_t ndim,
+               cag_axis_t *protos, int share)
 {
-  int8_t ndim, data_type;
-  ca_size_t *dim0;
+  int8_t k;
+  int8_t data_type;
   ca_size_t elements, bytes;
-  ca_size_t j, k;
   double  length;
-  int8_t i;
+  ca_size_t *dim0;
 
+  CA_ASSUME(ndim >= 0 && ndim <= CA_RANK_MAX);   /* bound loops/allocs over [CA_RANK_MAX] arrays */
   data_type = parent->data_type;
-  ndim      = parent->ndim;
   bytes     = parent->bytes;
   dim0      = parent->dim;
 
+  /* parent->ndim should equal ndim (= number of axes provided).
+     rb_ca_grid pads with nil when fewer args are given, so by the
+     time we get here ndim == parent->ndim. */
+  if ( ndim != parent->ndim ) {
+    rb_raise(rb_eArgError,
+             "CAGrid: ndim mismatch (%d args vs parent->ndim %d)",
+             (int) ndim, (int) parent->ndim);
+  }
+
   elements = 1;
   length = bytes;
-  for (i=0; i<ndim; i++) {
-    if ( dim[i] < 0 ) {
-      rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "negative size for %i-th dimension", i);
+  for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) {
+    if (protos[k].count < 0) {
+      rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "negative size for %d-th dimension", k);
     }
-    elements *= dim[i];
-    length *= dim[i];
+    elements *= protos[k].count;
+    length *= protos[k].count;
   }
-
-  if ( length > CA_LENGTH_MAX ) {
+  if (length > CA_LENGTH_MAX) {
     rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "too large byte length");
   }
 
@@ -100,87 +172,72 @@ ca_grid_setup (CAGrid *ca, CArray *parent, ca_size_t *dim,
   ca->elements  = elements;
   ca->ptr       = NULL;
   ca->mask      = NULL;
-  ca->dim       = ALLOC_N(ca_size_t, ndim);
-
+  if ( ! ca->_pool ) {
+    ca->dim     = ALLOC_N(ca_size_t, ndim);
+  }
   ca->parent    = parent;
   ca->attach    = 0;
   ca->nosync    = 0;
 
+  for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) ca->dim[k] = protos[k].count;
+
   if ( share ) {
+    /* Alias the protos buffer; lifetime tied to the source CAGrid
+       (initialize_copy and create_mask call sites).  free_ca_grid
+       skips the axes / indices xfree under SHARE_INDEX. */
     ca_set_flag(ca, CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX);
-    ca->grid   = grid;
-    ca->contig = contig;
-  }
-  else {
-    ca->grid   = ALLOC_N(CArray *, ndim);
-    ca->contig = ALLOC_N(int8_t, ndim);
-  }
-
-  memcpy(ca->dim, dim, ndim * sizeof(ca_size_t));
-
-  if ( ! share ) {
-    for (i=0; i<ndim; i++) {
-      if ( grid[i] ) {
-        if ( ca_is_any_masked(grid[i]) ) {
-          ca_size_t gsize = grid[i]->elements - ca_count_masked(grid[i]);
-          boolean8_t *m;
-          ca_size_t n;
-          ca->grid[i] = carray_new(CA_SIZE, 1, &gsize, 0, NULL);
-          m = (boolean8_t *)grid[i]->mask->ptr;
-          n = 0;
-          for (j=0; j<grid[i]->elements; j++) {
-            if ( ! *m ) {
-              k = ((ca_size_t*)grid[i]->ptr)[j];
-              CA_CHECK_INDEX(k, dim0[i]);
-              ((ca_size_t*)ca->grid[i]->ptr)[n] = k;
-              n++;
-            }
-            m++;
-          }
-          ca->contig[i] = 0;
-        }
-        else {
-          ca->grid[i] = ca_template(grid[i]);
-          for (j=0; j<grid[i]->elements; j++) {
-            k = ((ca_size_t*)grid[i]->ptr)[j];
-            CA_CHECK_INDEX(k, dim0[i]);
-            ((ca_size_t*)ca->grid[i]->ptr)[j] = k;
-          }
-          ca->contig[i] = 0;
+    ca->axes = protos;
+  } else {
+    ca->axes = ALLOC_N(cag_axis_t, ndim);
+    for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) {
+      ca->axes[k].kind  = protos[k].kind;
+      ca->axes[k].count = protos[k].count;
+      if (protos[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE) {
+        ca->axes[k].start   = protos[k].start;
+        ca->axes[k].step    = protos[k].step;
+        ca->axes[k].indices = NULL;
+        /* Bounds check: first and last parent index must be in range. */
+        if (protos[k].count > 0) {
+          ca_size_t first = protos[k].start;
+          ca_size_t last  = first + (protos[k].count - 1) * protos[k].step;
+          CA_CHECK_INDEX(first, dim0[k]);
+          if (protos[k].count > 1) CA_CHECK_INDEX(last, dim0[k]);
         }
-      }
-      else {
-        ca_size_t *p;
-        ca->grid[i] = carray_new(CA_SIZE, 1, &dim[i], 0, NULL);
-        p = (ca_size_t *)ca->grid[i]->ptr;
-        for (j=0; j<dim[i]; j++) {
-          *p++ = j;
+      } else {
+        ca->axes[k].start   = 0;
+        ca->axes[k].step    = 0;
+        ca->axes[k].indices = ALLOC_N(ca_size_t,
+                                      protos[k].count > 0 ? protos[k].count : 1);
+        ca_size_t j;
+        for (j = 0; j < protos[k].count; j++) {
+          ca_size_t v = protos[k].indices[j];
+          CA_CHECK_INDEX(v, dim0[k]);
+          ca->axes[k].indices[j] = v;
         }
-        ca->contig[i] = 1;
       }
     }
   }
 
-  if ( ca->ndim == 1 && ca_is_scalar(grid[0]) ) {
-    ca_set_flag(ca, CA_FLAG_SCALAR);
+  if ( ca_has_mask(parent) ) {
+    ca_create_mask(ca);
   }
 
   return 0;
 }
 
 CAGrid *
-ca_grid_new (CArray *parent, ca_size_t *dim, CArray **grid)
+ca_grid_new (CArray *parent, int8_t ndim, cag_axis_t *protos)
 {
-  CAGrid *ca = ALLOC(CAGrid);
-  ca_grid_setup(ca, parent, dim, grid, NULL, 0);
+  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ca_array_alloc(CA_OBJ_GRID, ndim);
+  ca_grid_setup(ca, parent, ndim, protos, 0);
   return ca;
 }
 
 CAGrid *
-ca_grid_new_share (CArray *parent, ca_size_t *dim, CArray **grid, int8_t *contig)
+ca_grid_new_share (CArray *parent, int8_t ndim, cag_axis_t *protos)
 {
-  CAGrid *ca = ALLOC(CAGrid);
-  ca_grid_setup(ca, parent, dim, grid, contig, 1);
+  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ca_array_alloc(CA_OBJ_GRID, ndim);
+  ca_grid_setup(ca, parent, ndim, protos, 1);
   return ca;
 }
 
@@ -188,99 +245,375 @@ static void
 free_ca_grid (void *ap)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  ca_size_t i;
   if ( ca != NULL ) {
     ca_free(ca->mask);
-    if ( ! (ca->flags & CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX)) {
-      xfree(ca->contig);
-      for (i=0; i<ca->ndim; i++) {
-        ca_free(ca->grid[i]);
+    if ( ! (ca->flags & CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX) ) {
+      int8_t k;
+      for (k = 0; k < ca->ndim; k++) {
+        if ( ca->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_INDEX && ca->axes[k].indices ) {
+          xfree(ca->axes[k].indices);
+        }
       }
-      xfree(ca->grid);
+      xfree(ca->axes);
+    }
+    /* dim is the only field in the pool; axes/indices freed above. */
+    if ( ca->_pool ) {
+      ca_array_free(ca);          /* dim + struct */
+    }
+    else {
+      xfree(ca->dim);
+      xfree(ca);
     }
-    xfree(ca->dim);
-    xfree(ca);
   }
 }
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-static void ca_grid_attach (CAGrid *ca);
-static void ca_grid_sync (CAGrid *ca);
-static void ca_grid_fill (CAGrid *ca, char *ptr);
+/* gather, scatter, and broadcast-fill all run through the shared
+   descriptor engine in ca_axis_dispatch.c via the func_* dispatchers
+   below; this file only translates CAGrid state into the descriptor
+   (ca_grid_describe_axes). */
 
 static void *
 ca_grid_func_clone (void *ap)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  return ca_grid_new_share(ca->parent, ca->dim, ca->grid, ca->contig);
+  return ca_grid_new_share(ca->parent, ca->ndim, ca->axes);
+}
+
+/* Per-axis parent-index lookup.  STRIDE = one multiply, INDEX = one
+   indirect load. */
+static inline ca_size_t
+cag_parent_index_for (const cag_axis_t *ax, ca_size_t i)
+{
+  if (ax->kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE) {
+    return ax->start + i * ax->step;
+  }
+  return ax->indices[i];
 }
 
-static char *
-ca_grid_func_ptr_at_addr (void *ap, ca_size_t addr)
+/* per-cell logic lives in ca_grid_func_xfer_index; forward-declared for
+   the region-delivery paths below. */
+static void ca_grid_func_xfer_index (void *ap, ca_size_t *idx, void *data, int dir);
+
+/* dir-unified per-cell: translate per-axis idx via the grid descriptors,
+   then re-delegate to the parent's xfer_index. */
+static void
+ca_grid_func_xfer_index (void *ap, ca_size_t *idx, void *data, int dir)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  if ( ! ca->ptr ) {
-    ca_size_t idx[CA_RANK_MAX];
-    ca_addr2index((CArray *)ca, addr, idx);
-    return ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx);
+  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  int8_t i;
+  for (i = 0; i < ca->ndim; i++) {
+    idx0[i] = cag_parent_index_for(&ca->axes[i], idx[i]);
+  }
+  ca_xfer_index(ca->parent, idx0, data, dir);
+}
+
+/* Batched address gather/scatter.  Per-axis index remap
+   (cag_parent_index_for), always in-bounds; duplicate parent addrs
+   (duplicate grid indices) scatter last-write-wins.  ONE parent
+   ca_xfer_addrs call -- no whole-view attach.
+
+   Fast path: when addrs form the whole-view sequential run
+   [0..elements-1] and parent.ptr is present, rebuild the full sub_axes
+   descriptor via ca_grid_describe_axes and dispatch through
+   ca_axis_dispatch_gather/_scatter directly, skipping the per-cell remap
+   loop. */
+static void
+ca_grid_func_xfer_addrs (void *ap, ca_size_t n, ca_size_t *addrs,
+                         void *data, int dir)
+{
+  CAGrid   *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  CArray   *parent = ca->parent;
+  ca_size_t *paddrs;
+  ca_size_t  i, base;
+  int8_t     k;
+  volatile VALUE holder;
+
+  /* Opportunistic fast path.  ca_resolve_attached_root_via_identity lifts
+     parent->ptr through an identity CAStride compose-fold (handles a
+     flatten[idx].reshape(*) chain etc.). */
+  if ( n == ca->elements
+       && ca_xfer_addrs_is_sequential_run(n, addrs, &base) && base == 0 ) {
+    CArray *eff_parent = ca_resolve_attached_root_via_identity(parent);
+    if ( eff_parent->ptr ) {
+      ca_axis_desc_t sub_axes[CA_RANK_MAX];
+      ca_size_t      parent_axis_dims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+      ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, sub_axes, parent_axis_dims);
+      if ( dir == CA_XFER_GET ) {
+        ca_axis_dispatch_gather(eff_parent, parent_axis_dims, sub_axes, ca->ndim,
+                                ca->bytes, ca->elements, NULL, (char *) data);
+      } else {
+        ca_axis_dispatch_scatter(eff_parent, parent_axis_dims, sub_axes, ca->ndim,
+                                 ca->bytes, ca->elements, (char *) data);
+      }
+      return;
+    }
   }
-  else {
-    return ca->ptr + ca->bytes * addr;
+
+  /* Per-cell remap fallback (arbitrary addrs, view parent, partial). */
+  paddrs = ALLOCV_N(ca_size_t, holder, n);
+  for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+    ca_size_t vidx[CA_RANK_MAX], pidx[CA_RANK_MAX];
+    ca_addr2index((CArray *) ca, addrs[i], vidx);
+    for (k = 0; k < ca->ndim; k++) pidx[k] = cag_parent_index_for(&ca->axes[k], vidx[k]);
+    paddrs[i] = ca_index2addr(ca->parent, pidx);
   }
+  ca_xfer_addrs(ca->parent, n, paddrs, data, dir);
+  ALLOCV_END(holder);
 }
 
-static char *
-ca_grid_func_ptr_at_index (void *ap, ca_size_t *idx)
+/* fold_stride: a CAGrid folds into the stride chain when every axis is
+   STRIDE or singleton-INDEX (count == 1).  STRIDE axis k contributes
+   stride step_k*pstride_k and base start_k*pstride_k; a singleton INDEX
+   axis bakes indices_k[0]*pstride_k into the base (count 1 -> no stride).
+   A multi-element INDEX axis is a true gather -> decline (the grid
+   becomes the fold boundary, delivered by the descriptor engine).
+   Synthesises a CAStride over grid->parent and composes f through it. */
+static int
+ca_grid_func_fold_stride (void *ap, ca_fold_t *f, void **next_parent)
 {
-  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  if ( ! ca->ptr ) {
-    CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-    ca_size_t *dim0 = ca->parent->dim;
-    int8_t   i;
-    ca_size_t  n;
-
-    n = 0;
-    for (i=0; i<ca->ndim; i++) {
-      n = dim0[i]*n + *(ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[i], idx[i]);
+  CAGrid   *g = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  CArray   *parent = g->parent;
+  ca_size_t pstride[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t synth_strides[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t synth_base = 0;
+  ca_size_t next_strides[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t next_base;
+  ca_size_t s;
+  CAStride  tmp, synth;
+  int8_t    k;
+
+  for (k = 0; k < g->ndim; k++) {
+    if (g->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_INDEX && g->axes[k].count != 1) {
+      return 0;   /* multi-INDEX axis -> true gather, decline */
     }
+  }
+
+  /* parent row-major byte strides (g->bytes == parent->bytes) */
+  s = g->bytes;
+  for (k = g->ndim - 1; k >= 0; k--) {
+    pstride[k] = s;
+    s *= parent->dim[k];
+  }
 
-    if ( ca->parent->ptr == NULL ) {
-      return ca_ptr_at_addr(ca->parent, n);
+  for (k = 0; k < g->ndim; k++) {
+    if (g->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE) {
+      synth_strides[k] = g->axes[k].step * pstride[k];
+      synth_base      += g->axes[k].start * pstride[k];
     }
-    else {
-      return ca->parent->ptr + ca->bytes * n;
+    else {   /* singleton INDEX: count == 1, position baked into base */
+      synth_strides[k] = 0;
+      synth_base      += g->axes[k].indices[0] * pstride[k];
     }
   }
-  else {
-    return ca_func[CA_OBJ_ARRAY].ptr_at_index(ca, idx);
+
+  tmp.ndim = f->ndim;
+  tmp.bytes = g->bytes;
+  tmp.dim = f->counts;
+  tmp.strides = f->strides;
+  tmp.base_offset = f->base;
+
+  synth.ndim = g->ndim;
+  synth.bytes = g->bytes;
+  synth.dim = g->dim;
+  synth.strides = synth_strides;
+  synth.base_offset = synth_base;
+
+  if (!ca_stride_compose_through(&tmp, &synth, next_strides, &next_base)) {
+    return 0;
   }
+
+  for (k = 0; k < f->ndim; k++) f->strides[k] = next_strides[k];
+  f->base = next_base;
+  *next_parent = parent;
+  return 1;
 }
 
+/* xfer_stride: structural region delivery when CAGrid is the (declining)
+   fold boundary -- a multi-element INDEX axis.  Instead of materialising
+   the whole grid, deliver only the requested region using the per-axis
+   kind:
+
+     - iterate the OUTER axes [0..ndim-2] with an odometer, computing the parent
+       byte base and the contiguous data offset for each combination;
+     - deliver the INNERMOST axis as one batched run into the contiguous data
+       sub-block at data+offset:
+         * STRIDE inner axis -> parent.xfer_stride (one strided run; entity
+           parent delivers a contiguous/strided memcpy);
+         * INDEX  inner axis -> parent.xfer_addrs (gather the selected cells).
+
+   strides[] = src access byte strides into the grid (semantics b); data is
+   contiguous row-major over counts.  g->bytes == parent->bytes (no reinterpret).
+   No whole-view attach -- only the requested cells touch the parent. */
 static void
-ca_grid_func_fetch_index (void *ap, ca_size_t *idx, void *ptr)
+ca_grid_func_xfer_stride (void *ap, ca_size_t *starts, ca_size_t *counts,
+                          ca_size_t *strides, void *data, int dir)
 {
-  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  int8_t i;
-  for (i=0; i<ca->ndim; i++) {
-    ca_fetch_addr(grid[i], idx[i], &idx0[i]);
+  CAGrid   *g = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  CArray   *parent = g->parent;
+  int8_t    ndim = g->ndim;
+  int8_t    inner = ndim - 1;
+  ca_size_t pnative[CA_RANK_MAX];   /* parent row-major byte strides */
+  ca_size_t gnative[CA_RANK_MAX];   /* grid  row-major byte strides */
+  ca_size_t dstride[CA_RANK_MAX];   /* data row-major byte strides over counts */
+  ca_size_t src_step[CA_RANK_MAX];  /* element step into grid per axis (request) */
+  ca_size_t o[CA_RANK_MAX];         /* odometer over outer axes */
+  ca_size_t s;
+  int8_t    k;
+  int       aligned = 1;
+  char     *d = (char *) data;
+
+  s = parent->bytes;
+  for (k = ndim - 1; k >= 0; k--) { pnative[k] = s; s *= parent->dim[k]; }
+  s = g->bytes;
+  for (k = ndim - 1; k >= 0; k--) { gnative[k] = s; s *= g->dim[k]; }
+  s = g->bytes;
+  for (k = ndim - 1; k >= 0; k--) { dstride[k] = s; s *= counts[k]; }
+
+  /* The structural decomposition assumes the request is axis-aligned: each
+     axis k is accessed by a stride that is a whole multiple of the grid's own
+     axis-k stride (src_step[k] = strides[k]/gnative[k]).  A reshaped or
+     transposed leaf breaks this (cross-axis / non-multiple strides); fall back
+     to per-cell delivery (correct, still no whole-view attach).  The wiring
+     guards ndim == grid->ndim, so counts/strides have ndim entries here. */
+  for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) {
+    if (strides[k] % gnative[k] != 0) { aligned = 0; break; }
+    src_step[k] = strides[k] / gnative[k];
   }
-  ca_fetch_index(ca->parent, idx0, ptr);
-}
 
-static void
-ca_grid_func_store_index (void *ap, ca_size_t *idx, void *ptr)
-{
-  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  int8_t i;
-  for (i=0; i<ca->ndim; i++) {
-    ca_fetch_addr(grid[i], idx[i], &idx0[i]);
+  if (!aligned) {
+    ca_size_t idx[CA_RANK_MAX], doff = 0, base = 0;
+    for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) base += starts[k] * gnative[k];
+    for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) idx[k] = 0;
+    while (1) {
+      ca_size_t goff = base, gidx[CA_RANK_MAX];
+      for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) goff += idx[k] * strides[k];
+      ca_addr2index((CArray *) g, goff / g->bytes, gidx);
+      ca_grid_func_xfer_index(g, gidx, d + doff, dir);
+      doff += g->bytes;
+      k = ndim - 1;
+      while (k >= 0) { if (++idx[k] < counts[k]) break; idx[k] = 0; k--; }
+      if (k < 0) break;
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* Fast path: when parent is attached (ptr != NULL), translate the
+     sub-region request (starts/counts/src_step) into a transient
+     ca_axis_desc_t[] sub-descriptor and call
+     ca_axis_dispatch_gather/_scatter directly.  This is the same engine
+     entry that ca_grid_func_xfer_all uses (minus the ca_attach(parent)
+     call, which per-region functions must not do).  Collapses N
+     outer-row dispatch calls into 1.
+
+     INDEX axis with src_step==1: zero-copy pointer offset into
+     g->axes[k].indices.  INDEX axis with src_step!=1: materialise a
+     sub-indices array via ALLOCV (per-call, not per-row).  STRIDE axis:
+     trivially fold starts/src_step into start/step.
+
+     Parent unattached falls through to the legacy per-row outer loop. */
+  if (parent->ptr) {
+    ca_axis_desc_t sub_axes[CA_RANK_MAX];
+    ca_size_t      parent_axis_dims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+    ca_size_t     *index_bufs[CA_RANK_MAX];
+    volatile VALUE holders[CA_RANK_MAX];
+    ca_size_t      total_elements = 1;
+    ca_size_t      j;
+    int8_t         have_alloc = 0;
+
+    for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) { index_bufs[k] = NULL; holders[k] = Qnil; }
+
+    for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) {
+      parent_axis_dims[k] = parent->dim[k];
+      total_elements *= counts[k];
+      if (g->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE) {
+        sub_axes[k].kind    = CA_AXIS_KIND_STRIDE;
+        sub_axes[k].count   = counts[k];
+        sub_axes[k].start   = g->axes[k].start + starts[k] * g->axes[k].step;
+        sub_axes[k].step    = g->axes[k].step * src_step[k];
+        sub_axes[k].indices = NULL;
+      } else {
+        sub_axes[k].kind    = CA_AXIS_KIND_INDEX;
+        sub_axes[k].count   = counts[k];
+        sub_axes[k].start   = 0;
+        sub_axes[k].step    = 0;
+        if (src_step[k] == 1) {
+          /* zero-copy: pointer offset into the original indices */
+          sub_axes[k].indices = g->axes[k].indices + starts[k];
+        } else {
+          /* sub-sampled or reversed: materialise sub-indices */
+          index_bufs[k] = ALLOCV_N(ca_size_t, holders[k], counts[k]);
+          for (j = 0; j < counts[k]; j++) {
+            index_bufs[k][j] =
+              g->axes[k].indices[starts[k] + j * src_step[k]];
+          }
+          sub_axes[k].indices = index_bufs[k];
+          have_alloc = 1;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (dir == CA_XFER_GET) {
+      ca_axis_dispatch_gather(parent, parent_axis_dims, sub_axes, ndim,
+                              g->bytes, total_elements, NULL, d);
+    } else {
+      ca_axis_dispatch_scatter(parent, parent_axis_dims, sub_axes, ndim,
+                               g->bytes, total_elements, d);
+    }
+
+    if (have_alloc) {
+      for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) {
+        if (index_bufs[k] != NULL) ALLOCV_END(holders[k]);
+      }
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* Fallback (parent unattached): per-row outer loop + per-row
+     ca_xfer_stride/ca_xfer_addrs. */
+  for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) o[k] = 0;
+
+  while (1) {
+    ca_size_t pbase = 0, doff = 0;
+    for (k = 0; k < inner; k++) {
+      ca_size_t gpos = starts[k] + o[k] * src_step[k];
+      ca_size_t ppos = (g->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE)
+                       ? (g->axes[k].start + gpos * g->axes[k].step)
+                       : g->axes[k].indices[gpos];
+      pbase += ppos * pnative[k];
+      doff  += o[k] * dstride[k];
+    }
+
+    if (g->axes[inner].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE) {
+      ca_size_t pstarts[CA_RANK_MAX], pcounts[CA_RANK_MAX], pstrides[CA_RANK_MAX];
+      ca_size_t inner_pbase =
+        (g->axes[inner].start + starts[inner] * g->axes[inner].step) * pnative[inner];
+      ca_addr2index((CArray *) parent, (pbase + inner_pbase) / parent->bytes, pstarts);
+      for (k = 0; k < ndim; k++) { pcounts[k] = 1; pstrides[k] = 0; }
+      pcounts[inner]  = counts[inner];
+      pstrides[inner] = src_step[inner] * g->axes[inner].step * pnative[inner];
+      ca_xfer_stride(parent, pstarts, pcounts, pstrides, d + doff, dir);
+    }
+    else {
+      ca_size_t *addrs;
+      ca_size_t  j, n = counts[inner];
+      volatile VALUE holder;
+      addrs = ALLOCV_N(ca_size_t, holder, n);
+      for (j = 0; j < n; j++) {
+        ca_size_t gpos = starts[inner] + j * src_step[inner];
+        ca_size_t ppos = g->axes[inner].indices[gpos];
+        addrs[j] = (pbase + ppos * pnative[inner]) / parent->bytes;
+      }
+      ca_xfer_addrs(parent, n, addrs, d + doff, dir);
+      ALLOCV_END(holder);
+    }
+
+    k = inner - 1;
+    while (k >= 0) { if (++o[k] < counts[k]) break; o[k] = 0; k--; }
+    if (k < 0) break;
   }
-  ca_store_index(ca->parent, idx0, ptr);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -288,27 +621,34 @@ ca_grid_func_allocate (void *ap)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
   ca_attach(ca->parent);
-  /* ca->ptr = ALLOC_N(char, ca_length(ca)); */
-  ca->ptr = malloc_with_check(ca_length(ca));  
+  ca->ptr = xmalloc(ca_length(ca));
 }
 
+/* attach / sync / copy_data / sync_data / fill_data all go through the
+   descriptor engine (ca_axis_dispatch.c).  This file supplies only
+   describe_axes; the engine does the rest. */
+
 static void
 ca_grid_func_attach (void *ap)
 {
-  void ca_grid_attach (CAGrid *cb);
-
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t      pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
   ca_attach(ca->parent);
-  /* ca->ptr = ALLOC_N(char, ca_length(ca)); */
-  ca->ptr = malloc_with_check(ca_length(ca));  
-  ca_grid_attach(ca);
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+  ca->ptr = ca_axis_dispatch_attach(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim,
+                                    ca->bytes, ca->elements, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
 ca_grid_func_sync (void *ap)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  ca_grid_sync(ca);
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t      pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+  ca_axis_dispatch_scatter(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                           ca->elements, ca->ptr);
   ca_sync(ca->parent);
 }
 
@@ -316,42 +656,79 @@ static void
 ca_grid_func_detach (void *ap)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  free(ca->ptr);
+  xfree(ca->ptr);
   ca->ptr = NULL;
   ca_detach(ca->parent);
 }
 
+/* xfer_all: fast path on parent->ptr, with no silent transitive attach
+   of the parent.  A cold parent uses a proper 2-pass -- materialise the
+   parent into scratch via ca_xfer_all, temporarily expose it as
+   parent->ptr, run the fast path, then (for PUT) write scratch back. */
 static void
-ca_grid_func_copy_data (void *ap, void *ptr)
+ca_grid_func_run_fast_path (CAGrid *ca, char *data, int dir)
 {
-  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  char *ptr0 = ca->ptr;
-  ca_attach(ca->parent);
-  ca->ptr = ptr;
-  ca_grid_attach(ca);
-  ca->ptr = ptr0;
-  ca_detach(ca->parent);
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t      pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+  if ( dir == CA_XFER_GET ) {
+    ca_axis_dispatch_gather(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                            ca->elements, NULL, data);
+  } else {
+    ca_axis_dispatch_scatter(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                             ca->elements, data);
+  }
 }
 
 static void
-ca_grid_func_sync_data (void *ap, void *ptr)
+ca_grid_func_xfer_all (void *ap, void *data, int dir)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
-  char *ptr0 = ca->ptr;
-  ca_attach(ca->parent);
-  ca->ptr = ptr;
-  ca_grid_sync(ca);
-  ca->ptr = ptr0;
-  ca_sync(ca->parent);
-  ca_detach(ca->parent);
+  if ( ca->parent->ptr ) {
+    ca_grid_func_run_fast_path(ca, (char *) data, dir);
+    return;
+  }
+  /* Proper 2-pass cold fallback. */
+  {
+    volatile VALUE holder;
+    CArray   *parent = ca->parent;
+    ca_size_t plen   = parent->elements * parent->bytes;
+    char     *parent_scratch = ALLOCV_N(char, holder, plen);
+    char     *parent_ptr_saved = parent->ptr;
+    ca_xfer_all(parent, parent_scratch, CA_XFER_GET);
+    parent->ptr = parent_scratch;
+    ca_grid_func_run_fast_path(ca, (char *) data, dir);
+    if ( dir == CA_XFER_PUT ) {
+      ca_xfer_all(parent, parent_scratch, CA_XFER_PUT);
+    }
+    parent->ptr = parent_ptr_saved;
+    ALLOCV_END(holder);
+  }
 }
 
 static void
 ca_grid_func_fill_data (void *ap, void *ptr)
 {
   CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t      pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+
+  /* Writing the selected cells used to go through a whole-parent attach and
+     sync.  Where that attach is a gather rather than an alias, the cells this
+     view did not select make the round trip for nothing -- and through a
+     lossy layer they do not come back the same.  Hand each slab to the parent
+     as a region instead.  (PROPOSAL_PARTIAL_FILL_WHOLE_ROOT_WRITEBACK.md) */
+  if ( !ca_is_attached(ca->parent) && !ca_attach_is_alias(ca->parent) ) {
+    ca_axis_dispatch_fill_value_via_parent(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim,
+                                           ca->bytes, ca->elements, ptr);
+    return;
+  }
+
   ca_attach(ca->parent);
-  ca_grid_fill(ca, ptr);
+  ca_axis_dispatch_fill_value(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                              ca->elements, ptr);
   ca_sync(ca->parent);
   ca_detach(ca->parent);
 }
@@ -367,271 +744,77 @@ ca_grid_func_create_mask (void *ap)
   }
 
   ca->mask = (CArray *) ca_grid_new_share(ca->parent->mask,
-                                          ca->dim, ca->grid, ca->contig);
+                                          ca->ndim, ca->axes);
 }
 
 ca_operation_function_t ca_grid_func = {
   -1, /* CA_OBJ_GRID */
-  CA_VIRTUAL_ARRAY,
+  CA_VIEW_ARRAY,
   free_ca_grid,
   ca_grid_func_clone,
-  ca_grid_func_ptr_at_addr,
-  ca_grid_func_ptr_at_index,
-  NULL,
-  ca_grid_func_fetch_index,
-  NULL,
-  ca_grid_func_store_index,
   ca_grid_func_allocate,
   ca_grid_func_attach,
   ca_grid_func_sync,
   ca_grid_func_detach,
-  ca_grid_func_copy_data,
-  ca_grid_func_sync_data,
   ca_grid_func_fill_data,
   ca_grid_func_create_mask,
+  ca_grid_func_xfer_index,
+  ca_grid_func_xfer_addrs,
+  ca_grid_func_fold_stride,
+  ca_grid_func_xfer_stride,
+  ca_grid_func_xfer_all,
 };
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-#define proc_grid_attach(type) \
-  { \
-    ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0); \
-    type *p = (type*) ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx); \
-    type *q = (type*) ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0); \
-    for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++, p++) { \
-      k = *pi; \
-      *p = *(q+k); \
-    } \
-  }
-
-static void
-ca_grid_attach_loop (CAGrid *ca, int16_t level, ca_size_t *idx, ca_size_t *idx0)
-{
-  CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-  ca_size_t i, k;
-
-  if ( level == ca->ndim - 1 ) {
-    idx[level] = 0;
-    idx0[level] = 0;
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      memcpy(ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx), ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0),
-             ca->bytes * ca->dim[level]);
-    }
-    else {
-      switch ( ca->bytes ) {
-      case 1: proc_grid_attach(int8_t); break;
-      case 2: proc_grid_attach(int16_t); break;
-      case 4: proc_grid_attach(int32_t); break;
-      case 8: proc_grid_attach(float64_t); break;
-      default:
-        {
-          ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0);
-          char *p = ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx);
-          char *q;
-          idx0[level] = 0;
-          q = ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0);
-          for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++, p+=ca->bytes) {
-            k = *pi;
-            memcpy(p, q + ca->bytes * k, ca->bytes);
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  else {
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        idx[level]  = i;
-        idx0[level] = i;
-        ca_grid_attach_loop(ca, level+1, idx, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      ca_size_t *pi;
-      pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0);
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++) {
-        k = *pi;
-        idx[level]  = i;
-        idx0[level] = k;
-        ca_grid_attach_loop(ca, level+1, idx, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-static void
-ca_grid_attach (CAGrid *ca)
-{
-  ca_size_t idx[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_grid_attach_loop(ca, (int16_t) 0, idx, idx0);
-}
-
-#define proc_grid_sync(type) \
-  { \
-    ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0); \
-    type *p = (type*) ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx); \
-    type *q = (type*) ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0); \
-    for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++, p++) { \
-      k = *pi; \
-      *(q+k) = *p; \
-    } \
-  }
-
-static void
-ca_grid_sync_loop (CAGrid *ca, int16_t level, ca_size_t *idx, ca_size_t *idx0)
-{
-  CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-  ca_size_t i, k;
-
-  if ( level == ca->ndim - 1 ) {
-    idx[level] = 0;
-    idx0[level] = 0;
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      memcpy(ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0), ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx),
-             ca->bytes * ca->dim[level]);
-    }
-    else {
-      switch ( ca->bytes ) {
-      case 1: proc_grid_sync(int8_t); break;
-      case 2: proc_grid_sync(int16_t); break;
-      case 4: proc_grid_sync(int32_t); break;
-      case 8: proc_grid_sync(float64_t); break;
-      default:
-        {
-          ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0);
-          char *p = ca_ptr_at_index(ca, idx);
-          char *q;
-          idx0[level] = 0;
-          q = ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0);
-          for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++, p+=ca->bytes) {
-            k = *pi;
-            memcpy(q + ca->bytes * k, p, ca->bytes);
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  else {
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        idx[level] = i;
-        idx0[level] = i;
-        ca_grid_sync_loop(ca, level+1, idx, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        k = *(ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], i);
-        idx[level]  = i;
-        idx0[level] = k;
-        ca_grid_sync_loop(ca, level+1, idx, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-static void
-ca_grid_sync (CAGrid *ca)
-{
-  ca_size_t idx[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_grid_sync_loop(ca, (int16_t) 0, idx, idx0);
-}
-
-#define proc_grid_fill(type) \
-  { \
-    ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0); \
-    type fval = *(type*)ptr; \
-    type *q = (type*) ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0); \
-    for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++) { \
-      k = *pi; \
-      *(q+k) = fval; \
-    } \
-  }
-
-static void
-ca_grid_fill_loop (CAGrid *ca, char *ptr,
-                  int16_t level, ca_size_t *idx0)
-{
-  CArray **grid = ca->grid;
-  ca_size_t i, k;
-  if ( level == ca->ndim - 1 ) {
-    idx0[level] = 0;
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      char *p = ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0);
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        memcpy(p, ptr, ca->bytes);
-        p += ca->bytes;
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      switch ( ca->bytes ) {
-      case 1: proc_grid_fill(int8_t); break;
-      case 2: proc_grid_fill(int16_t); break;
-      case 4: proc_grid_fill(int32_t); break;
-      case 8: proc_grid_fill(float64_t); break;
-      default:
-        {
-          ca_size_t *pi = (ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], 0);
-          char *q;
-          idx0[level] = 0;
-          q = ca_ptr_at_index(ca->parent, idx0);
-          for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++, pi++) {
-            k = *pi;
-            memcpy(q + ca->bytes * k, ptr, ca->bytes);
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  else {
-    if ( ca->contig[level] ) {
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        idx0[level] = i;
-        ca_grid_fill_loop(ca, ptr, level+1, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      for (i=0; i<ca->dim[level]; i++) {
-        k = *(ca_size_t*) ca_ptr_at_addr(grid[level], i);
-        idx0[level] = k;
-        ca_grid_fill_loop(ca, ptr, level+1, idx0);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-static void
-ca_grid_fill (CAGrid *ca, char *ptr)
-{
-  ca_size_t idx0[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_grid_fill_loop(ca, ptr, (int16_t) 0, idx0);
-}
-
-/* ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
 VALUE
-rb_ca_grid_new (VALUE cary, ca_size_t *dim, CArray **grid)
+rb_ca_grid_new (VALUE cary, int8_t ndim, cag_axis_t *protos)
 {
   volatile VALUE obj;
   CArray *parent;
   CAGrid *ca;
   rb_check_carray_object(cary);
   TypedData_Get_Struct(cary, CArray, &carray_data_type, parent);
-  ca = ca_grid_new(parent, dim, grid);
+  ca = ca_grid_new(parent, ndim, protos);
   obj = ca_wrap_struct(ca);
   rb_ca_set_parent(obj, cary);
-  rb_ca_data_type_inherit(obj, cary);
   return obj;
 }
 
-/* yard:
-  class CArray
-    def grid
-    end
-  end
-*/
+/* Detect a plain Ruby Range (Integer first/last, exclude_end?, step=1
+   implicit) and convert it to STRIDE (start, count, step=1).
+   Returns 1 on success (fills *out_start, *out_count), 0 on fallback
+   (caller should materialise to INDEX).  Negative endpoints are
+   normalised against dim_size like everywhere else in CArray. */
+static int
+cag_range_to_stride (VALUE range, ca_size_t dim_size,
+                     ca_size_t *out_start, ca_size_t *out_count)
+{
+  VALUE rb_first, rb_last;
+  ca_size_t first, last, count;
+  int exclude_end;
+
+  if ( ! rb_obj_is_kind_of(range, rb_cRange) ) return 0;
+  rb_first = rb_funcall(range, rb_intern("first"), 0);
+  rb_last  = rb_funcall(range, rb_intern("last"),  0);
+  if ( ! FIXNUM_P(rb_first) || ! FIXNUM_P(rb_last) ) return 0;
+  exclude_end = RTEST(rb_funcall(range, rb_intern("exclude_end?"), 0));
+
+  first = NUM2SIZE(rb_first);
+  last  = NUM2SIZE(rb_last);
+  if (first < 0) first += dim_size;
+  if (last  < 0) last  += dim_size;
+  if (exclude_end) last -= 1;
+
+  if (first < 0 || first >= dim_size) return 0;
+  if (last  < first - 1)              return 0;   /* empty range */
+  if (last  >= dim_size)              return 0;
+  count = last - first + 1;
+
+  *out_start = first;
+  *out_count = count;
+  return 1;
+}
 
 VALUE
 rb_ca_grid (int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
@@ -639,12 +822,23 @@ rb_ca_grid (int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
   volatile VALUE obj, ridx, rval;
   volatile VALUE list = rb_ary_new();
   CArray *ca;
-  CArray *ci[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  ca_size_t dim[CA_RANK_MAX];
-  CArray *grid[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  CArray *ci[CA_RANK_MAX];          /* CAWrap holders for INDEX axes; NULL for STRIDE */
+  cag_axis_t protos[CA_RANK_MAX];
   ca_size_t i;
 
-  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CArray, &carray_data_type,ca);
+  /* Dispatch hook: route mixed AP + single boolean to CASelectAxis
+     (slab-copy optimised path).  Falls through to per-cell CAGrid gather
+     when not eligible (integer index, multiple INDIRECT axes, indirect
+     not on axis 0).  Inline argv[0] type check avoids the function call
+     when axis 0 is nil/Integer (most patterns with INDIRECT on inner axes). */
+  extern int ca_csa_dispatch_bypass;
+  if ( ! ca_csa_dispatch_bypass && argc > 0 && TYPE(argv[0]) == T_DATA ) {
+    if ( rb_ca_select_axis_eligible_p(argc, argv, self) ) {
+      return rb_ca_select_axis(argc, argv, self);
+    }
+  }
+
+  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CArray, &carray_data_type, ca);
 
   ridx = rb_ary_new4(argc, argv);
 
@@ -679,43 +873,82 @@ rb_ca_grid (int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
     return rb_ca_grid(argc, argv, ref);
   }
 
-  for (i=0; i<RARRAY_LEN(ridx); i++) {
+  /* Build per-axis protos:
+     nil    -> STRIDE(0, parent.dim, 1), no CArray
+     Range  -> STRIDE if plain integer Range, else fall through to INDEX
+     CArray -> INDEX with indices = (ca_size_t*)ca_wrap_readonly(...)->ptr */
+  for (i = 0; i < ca->ndim; i++) {
+    ca_size_t dim_size = ca->dim[i];
     rval = rb_ary_entry(ridx, i);
+    ci[i] = NULL;
     if ( NIL_P(rval) ) {
-      ci[i]   = NULL;
-      dim[i]  = ca->dim[i];
-      grid[i] = NULL;
+      protos[i].kind    = CAG_AXIS_STRIDE;
+      protos[i].count   = dim_size;
+      protos[i].start   = 0;
+      protos[i].step    = 1;
+      protos[i].indices = NULL;
+      continue;
     }
-    else {
-      if ( rb_obj_is_carray(rval) ) {
-        if ( rb_ca_is_boolean_type(rval) ) {
-          rval = rb_ca_where(rval);
-        }
+    if ( rb_obj_is_kind_of(rval, rb_cRange) ) {
+      ca_size_t start, count;
+      if ( cag_range_to_stride(rval, dim_size, &start, &count) ) {
+        protos[i].kind    = CAG_AXIS_STRIDE;
+        protos[i].count   = count;
+        protos[i].start   = start;
+        protos[i].step    = 1;
+        protos[i].indices = NULL;
+        continue;
       }
-      else if ( rb_obj_is_kind_of(rval, rb_cRange) ) {
-        rval = rb_funcall(rb_mKernel, rb_intern("CA_SIZE"), 1, rval);
-      }
-      else if ( TYPE(rval) == T_ARRAY ) {
-        rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "not implemented for this index");
+      /* fallback: materialise to integer array */
+      rval = rb_funcall(rb_mKernel, rb_intern("CA_SIZE"), 1, rval);
+    }
+    else if ( rb_obj_is_carray(rval) ) {
+      if ( rb_ca_is_boolean_type(rval) ) {
+        rval = rb_ca_where(rval);
       }
-      ci[i] = ca_wrap_readonly(rval, CA_SIZE);
-      rb_ary_push(list, rval);
-      ca_attach(ci[i]);
+    }
+    else if ( TYPE(rval) == T_ARRAY ) {
+      rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "not implemented for this index");
+    }
 
-      if ( ca_is_any_masked(ci[i]) ) {
-        dim[i] = ci[i]->elements - ca_count_masked(ci[i]);
-      }
-      else {
-        dim[i]  = ci[i]->elements;
+    /* INDEX axis */
+    ci[i] = ca_wrap_readonly(rval, CA_SIZE);
+    rb_ary_push(list, rval);
+    ca_attach(ci[i]);
+
+    protos[i].kind = CAG_AXIS_INDEX;
+    if ( ca_is_any_masked(ci[i]) ) {
+      /* mask-filtered snapshot: skip masked cells.  We point protos[i]
+         .indices at a temp buffer alloc'd here and freed after setup
+         copies it (setup snapshots into its own ALLOC).  Caller-side
+         lifetime: the temp lives until ca_grid_new returns. */
+      ca_size_t gsize = ci[i]->elements - ca_count_masked(ci[i]);
+      ca_size_t *src  = (ca_size_t *) ci[i]->ptr;
+      boolean8_t *m   = (boolean8_t *) ci[i]->mask->ptr;
+      ca_size_t *tmp  = ALLOC_N(ca_size_t, gsize > 0 ? gsize : 1);
+      ca_size_t j, n = 0;
+      for (j = 0; j < ci[i]->elements; j++) {
+        if ( ! m[j] ) tmp[n++] = src[j];
       }
-      grid[i] = ci[i];
+      protos[i].count   = gsize;
+      protos[i].indices = tmp;
+    } else {
+      protos[i].count   = ci[i]->elements;
+      protos[i].indices = (ca_size_t *) ci[i]->ptr;
     }
+    protos[i].start = 0;
+    protos[i].step  = 0;
   }
 
-  obj = rb_ca_grid_new(self, dim, grid);
+  obj = rb_ca_grid_new(self, ca->ndim, protos);
 
-  for (i=0; i<RARRAY_LEN(ridx); i++) {
+  /* Cleanup: detach CAWraps + free temp masked-snapshot buffers (setup
+     has already copied indices into its own ALLOC). */
+  for (i = 0; i < ca->ndim; i++) {
     if ( ci[i] ) {
+      if ( ca_is_any_masked(ci[i]) ) {
+        xfree(protos[i].indices);
+      }
       ca_detach(ci[i]);
     }
   }
@@ -738,24 +971,197 @@ rb_ca_grid_initialize_copy (VALUE self, VALUE other)
   TypedData_Get_Struct(self,  CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, ca);
   TypedData_Get_Struct(other, CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, cs);
 
-  /* share grid info */
-  ca_grid_setup(ca, cs->parent, cs->dim, cs->grid, cs->contig, 1);
+  if ( ca_func[CA_OBJ_GRID].pool_init ) {
+    ca_array_pool_alloc(ca, CA_OBJ_GRID, cs->ndim);
+  }
+  /* Share the source's axes buffer (CA_FLAG_SHARE_INDEX semantics:
+     source CAGrid owns the lifetime; clone aliases it). */
+  ca_grid_setup(ca, cs->parent, cs->ndim, cs->axes, 1);
 
   return self;
 }
 
 
 
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+/* Producer interface: emit the per-axis descriptor array -- a 1:1
+   mechanical mapping from CAGrid's internal tagged storage to the
+   framework descriptor.
+
+   STRIDE axes (= nil-arg or arithmetic-progression Range) carry their
+   actual start/step, so axis-merge can fire on these axes when they
+   neighbour other STRIDE axes.  INDEX axes borrow the owned
+   ca->axes[k].indices snapshot. */
+
+void
+ca_grid_describe_axes (void *ap, ca_axis_desc_t *out,
+                       ca_size_t *out_parent_dims)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca = (CAGrid *) ap;
+  int8_t k;
+  for ( k = 0; k < ca->ndim; k++ ) {
+    out_parent_dims[k] = ca->parent->dim[k];
+    if ( ca->axes[k].kind == CAG_AXIS_STRIDE ) {
+      out[k].kind    = CA_AXIS_KIND_STRIDE;
+      out[k].count   = ca->axes[k].count;
+      out[k].start   = ca->axes[k].start;
+      out[k].step    = ca->axes[k].step;
+      out[k].indices = NULL;
+    } else {
+      out[k].kind    = CA_AXIS_KIND_INDEX;
+      out[k].count   = ca->axes[k].count;
+      out[k].start   = 0;
+      out[k].step    = 0;
+      out[k].indices = ca->axes[k].indices;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+#ifdef CARRAY_DEV_BUILD
+/* ============================================================
+ * Debug accessors (dev-only, stripped in release)
+ *
+ * Gated by CARRAY_DEV_BUILD (enabled via `extconf.rb --enable-dev-build`
+ * or `CARRAY_DEV=1 rake build_ext`).  They expose the per-axis descriptor
+ * and the engine's raw output to Ruby so spec_ai can pin them; nothing in
+ * lib/ or the rest of ext/ consumes them.  CASelectAxis carries the same
+ * four under the same fence.
+ * ============================================================ */
+
+/* Returns the per-axis descriptor as an Array, one entry per axis:
+   [:stride, count, start, step] or [:index, count, indices]. */
+static VALUE
+rb_ca_grid_describe_axes (VALUE self)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  VALUE arr, entry, idx_ary;
+  int8_t k;
+  ca_size_t i;
+
+  ca_size_t pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, ca);
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+
+  arr = rb_ary_new_capa(ca->ndim);
+  for ( k = 0; k < ca->ndim; k++ ) {
+    if ( desc[k].kind == CA_AXIS_KIND_STRIDE ) {
+      entry = rb_ary_new_capa(4);
+      rb_ary_push(entry, ID2SYM(rb_intern("stride")));
+      rb_ary_push(entry, SIZE2NUM(desc[k].count));
+      rb_ary_push(entry, SIZE2NUM(desc[k].start));
+      rb_ary_push(entry, SIZE2NUM(desc[k].step));
+    } else {
+      entry = rb_ary_new_capa(3);
+      rb_ary_push(entry, ID2SYM(rb_intern("index")));
+      rb_ary_push(entry, SIZE2NUM(desc[k].count));
+      idx_ary = rb_ary_new_capa(desc[k].count);
+      for ( i = 0; i < desc[k].count; i++ ) {
+        rb_ary_push(idx_ary, SIZE2NUM(desc[k].indices[i]));
+      }
+      rb_ary_push(entry, idx_ary);
+    }
+    rb_ary_push(arr, entry);
+  }
+  return arr;
+}
+
+/* Returns the attach engine's gathered buffer as a String. */
+static VALUE
+rb_ca_grid_dispatch_attach_debug (VALUE self)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  char *buf;
+  VALUE str;
+
+  ca_size_t pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, ca);
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+
+  ca_attach(ca->parent);
+  buf = ca_axis_dispatch_attach(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                                ca->elements, NULL);
+  ca_detach(ca->parent);
+
+  str = rb_str_new(buf, ca->elements * ca->bytes);
+  xfree(buf);
+  return str;
+}
+
+/* Drives the scatter engine with a view-shaped input String. */
+static VALUE
+rb_ca_grid_dispatch_scatter_debug (VALUE self, VALUE in_str)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_size_t expected;
+
+  Check_Type(in_str, T_STRING);
+  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, ca);
+
+  expected = ca->elements * ca->bytes;
+  if ( (ca_size_t) RSTRING_LEN(in_str) != expected ) {
+    rb_raise(rb_eArgError,
+             "CAGrid#_dispatch_scatter_debug: input string length %lld "
+             "!= expected %lld",
+             (long long) RSTRING_LEN(in_str), (long long) expected);
+  }
+  ca_size_t pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+
+  ca_attach(ca->parent);
+  ca_axis_dispatch_scatter(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                           ca->elements, RSTRING_PTR(in_str));
+  ca_sync(ca->parent);
+  ca_detach(ca->parent);
+  return Qnil;
+}
+
+/* Drives the fill_value engine with a one-element String. */
+static VALUE
+rb_ca_grid_dispatch_fill_value_debug (VALUE self, VALUE val_str)
+{
+  CAGrid *ca;
+  ca_axis_desc_t desc[CA_RANK_MAX];
+
+  Check_Type(val_str, T_STRING);
+  TypedData_Get_Struct(self, CAGrid, &cagrid_data_type, ca);
+
+  if ( (ca_size_t) RSTRING_LEN(val_str) != ca->bytes ) {
+    rb_raise(rb_eArgError,
+             "CAGrid#_dispatch_fill_value_debug: value string length %lld "
+             "!= bytes %lld",
+             (long long) RSTRING_LEN(val_str), (long long) ca->bytes);
+  }
+  ca_size_t pdims[CA_RANK_MAX];
+  ca_grid_describe_axes(ca, desc, pdims);
+
+  ca_attach(ca->parent);
+  ca_axis_dispatch_fill_value(ca->parent, pdims, desc, ca->ndim, ca->bytes,
+                              ca->elements, RSTRING_PTR(val_str));
+  ca_sync(ca->parent);
+  ca_detach(ca->parent);
+  return Qnil;
+}
+#endif /* CARRAY_DEV_BUILD */
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
 void
-Init_ca_obj_grid ()
+Init_ca_obj_grid (void)
 {
-  rb_cCAGrid = rb_define_class("CAGrid", rb_cCAVirtual);
+  rb_cCAGrid = rb_define_class("CAGrid", rb_cCAView);
   rb_cCAGridMask = rb_define_class("CAGridMask", rb_cCAGrid);
 
-  CA_OBJ_GRID = ca_install_obj_type(rb_cCAGrid, 
+  ca_grid_func.struct_size = sizeof(CAGrid);
+  ca_grid_func.pool_bytes  = ca_grid_pool_bytes;
+  ca_grid_func.pool_init   = ca_grid_pool_init;
+
+  CA_OBJ_GRID = ca_install_obj_type(rb_cCAGrid,
                                     &cagrid_data_type, 
 				    rb_cCAGridMask,
-				    &cagrid_mask_data_type, ca_grid_func);
+				    &cagrid_mask_data_type, &ca_grid_func, sizeof(ca_grid_func));
   rb_define_const(rb_cObject, "CA_OBJ_GRID", INT2NUM(CA_OBJ_GRID));
 
   rb_define_method(rb_cCArray, "grid", rb_ca_grid, -1);
@@ -763,5 +1169,17 @@ Init_ca_obj_grid ()
   rb_define_alloc_func(rb_cCAGrid, rb_ca_grid_s_allocate);
   rb_define_method(rb_cCAGrid, "initialize_copy",
                                       rb_ca_grid_initialize_copy, 1);
+
+#ifdef CARRAY_DEV_BUILD
+  /* debug accessors (dev-only, stripped in release) */
+  rb_define_method(rb_cCAGrid, "_describe_axes",
+                   rb_ca_grid_describe_axes, 0);
+  rb_define_method(rb_cCAGrid, "_dispatch_attach_debug",
+                   rb_ca_grid_dispatch_attach_debug, 0);
+  rb_define_method(rb_cCAGrid, "_dispatch_scatter_debug",
+                   rb_ca_grid_dispatch_scatter_debug, 1);
+  rb_define_method(rb_cCAGrid, "_dispatch_fill_value_debug",
+                   rb_ca_grid_dispatch_fill_value_debug, 1);
+#endif
 }