numpy 1.9.3__zip → 1.10.0__zip

numpy-1.10.0.post2/numpy/lib/recfunctions.py

@@ -0,0 +1,1003 @@
+"""
+Collection of utilities to manipulate structured arrays.
+
+Most of these functions were initially implemented by John Hunter for
+matplotlib.  They have been rewritten and extended for convenience.
+
+"""
+from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
+
+import sys
+import itertools
+import numpy as np
+import numpy.ma as ma
+from numpy import ndarray, recarray
+from numpy.ma import MaskedArray
+from numpy.ma.mrecords import MaskedRecords
+from numpy.lib._iotools import _is_string_like
+from numpy.compat import basestring
+
+if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+    from future_builtins import zip
+
+_check_fill_value = np.ma.core._check_fill_value
+
+
+__all__ = [
+    'append_fields', 'drop_fields', 'find_duplicates',
+    'get_fieldstructure', 'join_by', 'merge_arrays',
+    'rec_append_fields', 'rec_drop_fields', 'rec_join',
+    'recursive_fill_fields', 'rename_fields', 'stack_arrays',
+    ]
+
+
+def recursive_fill_fields(input, output):
+    """
+    Fills fields from output with fields from input,
+    with support for nested structures.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    input : ndarray
+        Input array.
+    output : ndarray
+        Output array.
+
+    Notes
+    -----
+    * `output` should be at least the same size as `input`
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> a = np.array([(1, 10.), (2, 20.)], dtype=[('A', int), ('B', float)])
+    >>> b = np.zeros((3,), dtype=a.dtype)
+    >>> rfn.recursive_fill_fields(a, b)
+    array([(1, 10.0), (2, 20.0), (0, 0.0)],
+          dtype=[('A', '<i4'), ('B', '<f8')])
+
+    """
+    newdtype = output.dtype
+    for field in newdtype.names:
+        try:
+            current = input[field]
+        except ValueError:
+            continue
+        if current.dtype.names:
+            recursive_fill_fields(current, output[field])
+        else:
+            output[field][:len(current)] = current
+    return output
+
+
+def get_names(adtype):
+    """
+    Returns the field names of the input datatype as a tuple.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    adtype : dtype
+        Input datatype
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> rfn.get_names(np.empty((1,), dtype=int)) is None
+    True
+    >>> rfn.get_names(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A',int), ('B', float)]))
+    ('A', 'B')
+    >>> adtype = np.dtype([('a', int), ('b', [('ba', int), ('bb', int)])])
+    >>> rfn.get_names(adtype)
+    ('a', ('b', ('ba', 'bb')))
+    """
+    listnames = []
+    names = adtype.names
+    for name in names:
+        current = adtype[name]
+        if current.names:
+            listnames.append((name, tuple(get_names(current))))
+        else:
+            listnames.append(name)
+    return tuple(listnames) or None
+
+
+def get_names_flat(adtype):
+    """
+    Returns the field names of the input datatype as a tuple. Nested structure
+    are flattend beforehand.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    adtype : dtype
+        Input datatype
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> rfn.get_names_flat(np.empty((1,), dtype=int)) is None
+    True
+    >>> rfn.get_names_flat(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A',int), ('B', float)]))
+    ('A', 'B')
+    >>> adtype = np.dtype([('a', int), ('b', [('ba', int), ('bb', int)])])
+    >>> rfn.get_names_flat(adtype)
+    ('a', 'b', 'ba', 'bb')
+    """
+    listnames = []
+    names = adtype.names
+    for name in names:
+        listnames.append(name)
+        current = adtype[name]
+        if current.names:
+            listnames.extend(get_names_flat(current))
+    return tuple(listnames) or None
+
+
+def flatten_descr(ndtype):
+    """
+    Flatten a structured data-type description.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> ndtype = np.dtype([('a', '<i4'), ('b', [('ba', '<f8'), ('bb', '<i4')])])
+    >>> rfn.flatten_descr(ndtype)
+    (('a', dtype('int32')), ('ba', dtype('float64')), ('bb', dtype('int32')))
+
+    """
+    names = ndtype.names
+    if names is None:
+        return ndtype.descr
+    else:
+        descr = []
+        for field in names:
+            (typ, _) = ndtype.fields[field]
+            if typ.names:
+                descr.extend(flatten_descr(typ))
+            else:
+                descr.append((field, typ))
+        return tuple(descr)
+
+
+def zip_descr(seqarrays, flatten=False):
+    """
+    Combine the dtype description of a series of arrays.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    seqarrays : sequence of arrays
+        Sequence of arrays
+    flatten : {boolean}, optional
+        Whether to collapse nested descriptions.
+    """
+    newdtype = []
+    if flatten:
+        for a in seqarrays:
+            newdtype.extend(flatten_descr(a.dtype))
+    else:
+        for a in seqarrays:
+            current = a.dtype
+            names = current.names or ()
+            if len(names) > 1:
+                newdtype.append(('', current.descr))
+            else:
+                newdtype.extend(current.descr)
+    return np.dtype(newdtype).descr
+
+
+def get_fieldstructure(adtype, lastname=None, parents=None,):
+    """
+    Returns a dictionary with fields indexing lists of their parent fields.
+
+    This function is used to simplify access to fields nested in other fields.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    adtype : np.dtype
+        Input datatype
+    lastname : optional
+        Last processed field name (used internally during recursion).
+    parents : dictionary
+        Dictionary of parent fields (used interbally during recursion).
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> ndtype =  np.dtype([('A', int),
+    ...                     ('B', [('BA', int),
+    ...                            ('BB', [('BBA', int), ('BBB', int)])])])
+    >>> rfn.get_fieldstructure(ndtype)
+    ... # XXX: possible regression, order of BBA and BBB is swapped
+    {'A': [], 'B': [], 'BA': ['B'], 'BB': ['B'], 'BBA': ['B', 'BB'], 'BBB': ['B', 'BB']}
+
+    """
+    if parents is None:
+        parents = {}
+    names = adtype.names
+    for name in names:
+        current = adtype[name]
+        if current.names:
+            if lastname:
+                parents[name] = [lastname, ]
+            else:
+                parents[name] = []
+            parents.update(get_fieldstructure(current, name, parents))
+        else:
+            lastparent = [_ for _ in (parents.get(lastname, []) or [])]
+            if lastparent:
+                lastparent.append(lastname)
+            elif lastname:
+                lastparent = [lastname, ]
+            parents[name] = lastparent or []
+    return parents or None
+
+
+def _izip_fields_flat(iterable):
+    """
+    Returns an iterator of concatenated fields from a sequence of arrays,
+    collapsing any nested structure.
+
+    """
+    for element in iterable:
+        if isinstance(element, np.void):
+            for f in _izip_fields_flat(tuple(element)):
+                yield f
+        else:
+            yield element
+
+
+def _izip_fields(iterable):
+    """
+    Returns an iterator of concatenated fields from a sequence of arrays.
+
+    """
+    for element in iterable:
+        if (hasattr(element, '__iter__') and
+                not isinstance(element, basestring)):
+            for f in _izip_fields(element):
+                yield f
+        elif isinstance(element, np.void) and len(tuple(element)) == 1:
+            for f in _izip_fields(element):
+                yield f
+        else:
+            yield element
+
+
+def izip_records(seqarrays, fill_value=None, flatten=True):
+    """
+    Returns an iterator of concatenated items from a sequence of arrays.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    seqarrays : sequence of arrays
+        Sequence of arrays.
+    fill_value : {None, integer}
+        Value used to pad shorter iterables.
+    flatten : {True, False},
+        Whether to
+    """
+    # OK, that's a complete ripoff from Python2.6 itertools.izip_longest
+    def sentinel(counter=([fill_value] * (len(seqarrays) - 1)).pop):
+        "Yields the fill_value or raises IndexError"
+        yield counter()
+    #
+    fillers = itertools.repeat(fill_value)
+    iters = [itertools.chain(it, sentinel(), fillers) for it in seqarrays]
+    # Should we flatten the items, or just use a nested approach
+    if flatten:
+        zipfunc = _izip_fields_flat
+    else:
+        zipfunc = _izip_fields
+    #
+    try:
+        for tup in zip(*iters):
+            yield tuple(zipfunc(tup))
+    except IndexError:
+        pass
+
+
+def _fix_output(output, usemask=True, asrecarray=False):
+    """
+    Private function: return a recarray, a ndarray, a MaskedArray
+    or a MaskedRecords depending on the input parameters
+    """
+    if not isinstance(output, MaskedArray):
+        usemask = False
+    if usemask:
+        if asrecarray:
+            output = output.view(MaskedRecords)
+    else:
+        output = ma.filled(output)
+        if asrecarray:
+            output = output.view(recarray)
+    return output
+
+
+def _fix_defaults(output, defaults=None):
+    """
+    Update the fill_value and masked data of `output`
+    from the default given in a dictionary defaults.
+    """
+    names = output.dtype.names
+    (data, mask, fill_value) = (output.data, output.mask, output.fill_value)
+    for (k, v) in (defaults or {}).items():
+        if k in names:
+            fill_value[k] = v
+            data[k][mask[k]] = v
+    return output
+
+
+def merge_arrays(seqarrays, fill_value=-1, flatten=False,
+                 usemask=False, asrecarray=False):
+    """
+    Merge arrays field by field.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    seqarrays : sequence of ndarrays
+        Sequence of arrays
+    fill_value : {float}, optional
+        Filling value used to pad missing data on the shorter arrays.
+    flatten : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to collapse nested fields.
+    usemask : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a masked array or not.
+    asrecarray : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a recarray (MaskedRecords) or not.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> rfn.merge_arrays((np.array([1, 2]), np.array([10., 20., 30.])))
+    masked_array(data = [(1, 10.0) (2, 20.0) (--, 30.0)],
+                 mask = [(False, False) (False, False) (True, False)],
+           fill_value = (999999, 1e+20),
+                dtype = [('f0', '<i4'), ('f1', '<f8')])
+
+    >>> rfn.merge_arrays((np.array([1, 2]), np.array([10., 20., 30.])),
+    ...              usemask=False)
+    array([(1, 10.0), (2, 20.0), (-1, 30.0)],
+          dtype=[('f0', '<i4'), ('f1', '<f8')])
+    >>> rfn.merge_arrays((np.array([1, 2]).view([('a', int)]),
+    ...               np.array([10., 20., 30.])),
+    ...              usemask=False, asrecarray=True)
+    rec.array([(1, 10.0), (2, 20.0), (-1, 30.0)],
+              dtype=[('a', '<i4'), ('f1', '<f8')])
+
+    Notes
+    -----
+    * Without a mask, the missing value will be filled with something,
+    * depending on what its corresponding type:
+            -1      for integers
+            -1.0    for floating point numbers
+            '-'     for characters
+            '-1'    for strings
+            True    for boolean values
+    * XXX: I just obtained these values empirically
+    """
+    # Only one item in the input sequence ?
+    if (len(seqarrays) == 1):
+        seqarrays = np.asanyarray(seqarrays[0])
+    # Do we have a single ndarray as input ?
+    if isinstance(seqarrays, (ndarray, np.void)):
+        seqdtype = seqarrays.dtype
+        if (not flatten) or \
+           (zip_descr((seqarrays,), flatten=True) == seqdtype.descr):
+            # Minimal processing needed: just make sure everythng's a-ok
+            seqarrays = seqarrays.ravel()
+            # Make sure we have named fields
+            if not seqdtype.names:
+                seqdtype = [('', seqdtype)]
+            # Find what type of array we must return
+            if usemask:
+                if asrecarray:
+                    seqtype = MaskedRecords
+                else:
+                    seqtype = MaskedArray
+            elif asrecarray:
+                seqtype = recarray
+            else:
+                seqtype = ndarray
+            return seqarrays.view(dtype=seqdtype, type=seqtype)
+        else:
+            seqarrays = (seqarrays,)
+    else:
+        # Make sure we have arrays in the input sequence
+        seqarrays = [np.asanyarray(_m) for _m in seqarrays]
+    # Find the sizes of the inputs and their maximum
+    sizes = tuple(a.size for a in seqarrays)
+    maxlength = max(sizes)
+    # Get the dtype of the output (flattening if needed)
+    newdtype = zip_descr(seqarrays, flatten=flatten)
+    # Initialize the sequences for data and mask
+    seqdata = []
+    seqmask = []
+    # If we expect some kind of MaskedArray, make a special loop.
+    if usemask:
+        for (a, n) in zip(seqarrays, sizes):
+            nbmissing = (maxlength - n)
+            # Get the data and mask
+            data = a.ravel().__array__()
+            mask = ma.getmaskarray(a).ravel()
+            # Get the filling value (if needed)
+            if nbmissing:
+                fval = _check_fill_value(fill_value, a.dtype)
+                if isinstance(fval, (ndarray, np.void)):
+                    if len(fval.dtype) == 1:
+                        fval = fval.item()[0]
+                        fmsk = True
+                    else:
+                        fval = np.array(fval, dtype=a.dtype, ndmin=1)
+                        fmsk = np.ones((1,), dtype=mask.dtype)
+            else:
+                fval = None
+                fmsk = True
+            # Store an iterator padding the input to the expected length
+            seqdata.append(itertools.chain(data, [fval] * nbmissing))
+            seqmask.append(itertools.chain(mask, [fmsk] * nbmissing))
+        # Create an iterator for the data
+        data = tuple(izip_records(seqdata, flatten=flatten))
+        output = ma.array(np.fromiter(data, dtype=newdtype, count=maxlength),
+                          mask=list(izip_records(seqmask, flatten=flatten)))
+        if asrecarray:
+            output = output.view(MaskedRecords)
+    else:
+        # Same as before, without the mask we don't need...
+        for (a, n) in zip(seqarrays, sizes):
+            nbmissing = (maxlength - n)
+            data = a.ravel().__array__()
+            if nbmissing:
+                fval = _check_fill_value(fill_value, a.dtype)
+                if isinstance(fval, (ndarray, np.void)):
+                    if len(fval.dtype) == 1:
+                        fval = fval.item()[0]
+                    else:
+                        fval = np.array(fval, dtype=a.dtype, ndmin=1)
+            else:
+                fval = None
+            seqdata.append(itertools.chain(data, [fval] * nbmissing))
+        output = np.fromiter(tuple(izip_records(seqdata, flatten=flatten)),
+                             dtype=newdtype, count=maxlength)
+        if asrecarray:
+            output = output.view(recarray)
+    # And we're done...
+    return output
+
+
+def drop_fields(base, drop_names, usemask=True, asrecarray=False):
+    """
+    Return a new array with fields in `drop_names` dropped.
+
+    Nested fields are supported.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    base : array
+        Input array
+    drop_names : string or sequence
+        String or sequence of strings corresponding to the names of the
+        fields to drop.
+    usemask : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a masked array or not.
+    asrecarray : string or sequence, optional
+        Whether to return a recarray or a mrecarray (`asrecarray=True`) or
+        a plain ndarray or masked array with flexible dtype. The default
+        is False.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> a = np.array([(1, (2, 3.0)), (4, (5, 6.0))],
+    ...   dtype=[('a', int), ('b', [('ba', float), ('bb', int)])])
+    >>> rfn.drop_fields(a, 'a')
+    array([((2.0, 3),), ((5.0, 6),)],
+          dtype=[('b', [('ba', '<f8'), ('bb', '<i4')])])
+    >>> rfn.drop_fields(a, 'ba')
+    array([(1, (3,)), (4, (6,))],
+          dtype=[('a', '<i4'), ('b', [('bb', '<i4')])])
+    >>> rfn.drop_fields(a, ['ba', 'bb'])
+    array([(1,), (4,)],
+          dtype=[('a', '<i4')])
+    """
+    if _is_string_like(drop_names):
+        drop_names = [drop_names, ]
+    else:
+        drop_names = set(drop_names)
+
+    def _drop_descr(ndtype, drop_names):
+        names = ndtype.names
+        newdtype = []
+        for name in names:
+            current = ndtype[name]
+            if name in drop_names:
+                continue
+            if current.names:
+                descr = _drop_descr(current, drop_names)
+                if descr:
+                    newdtype.append((name, descr))
+            else:
+                newdtype.append((name, current))
+        return newdtype
+
+    newdtype = _drop_descr(base.dtype, drop_names)
+    if not newdtype:
+        return None
+
+    output = np.empty(base.shape, dtype=newdtype)
+    output = recursive_fill_fields(base, output)
+    return _fix_output(output, usemask=usemask, asrecarray=asrecarray)
+
+
+def rec_drop_fields(base, drop_names):
+    """
+    Returns a new numpy.recarray with fields in `drop_names` dropped.
+    """
+    return drop_fields(base, drop_names, usemask=False, asrecarray=True)
+
+
+def rename_fields(base, namemapper):
+    """
+    Rename the fields from a flexible-datatype ndarray or recarray.
+
+    Nested fields are supported.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    base : ndarray
+        Input array whose fields must be modified.
+    namemapper : dictionary
+        Dictionary mapping old field names to their new version.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> a = np.array([(1, (2, [3.0, 30.])), (4, (5, [6.0, 60.]))],
+    ...   dtype=[('a', int),('b', [('ba', float), ('bb', (float, 2))])])
+    >>> rfn.rename_fields(a, {'a':'A', 'bb':'BB'})
+    array([(1, (2.0, [3.0, 30.0])), (4, (5.0, [6.0, 60.0]))],
+          dtype=[('A', '<i4'), ('b', [('ba', '<f8'), ('BB', '<f8', 2)])])
+
+    """
+    def _recursive_rename_fields(ndtype, namemapper):
+        newdtype = []
+        for name in ndtype.names:
+            newname = namemapper.get(name, name)
+            current = ndtype[name]
+            if current.names:
+                newdtype.append(
+                    (newname, _recursive_rename_fields(current, namemapper))
+                    )
+            else:
+                newdtype.append((newname, current))
+        return newdtype
+    newdtype = _recursive_rename_fields(base.dtype, namemapper)
+    return base.view(newdtype)
+
+
+def append_fields(base, names, data, dtypes=None,
+                  fill_value=-1, usemask=True, asrecarray=False):
+    """
+    Add new fields to an existing array.
+
+    The names of the fields are given with the `names` arguments,
+    the corresponding values with the `data` arguments.
+    If a single field is appended, `names`, `data` and `dtypes` do not have
+    to be lists but just values.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    base : array
+        Input array to extend.
+    names : string, sequence
+        String or sequence of strings corresponding to the names
+        of the new fields.
+    data : array or sequence of arrays
+        Array or sequence of arrays storing the fields to add to the base.
+    dtypes : sequence of datatypes, optional
+        Datatype or sequence of datatypes.
+        If None, the datatypes are estimated from the `data`.
+    fill_value : {float}, optional
+        Filling value used to pad missing data on the shorter arrays.
+    usemask : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a masked array or not.
+    asrecarray : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a recarray (MaskedRecords) or not.
+
+    """
+    # Check the names
+    if isinstance(names, (tuple, list)):
+        if len(names) != len(data):
+            msg = "The number of arrays does not match the number of names"
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+    elif isinstance(names, basestring):
+        names = [names, ]
+        data = [data, ]
+    #
+    if dtypes is None:
+        data = [np.array(a, copy=False, subok=True) for a in data]
+        data = [a.view([(name, a.dtype)]) for (name, a) in zip(names, data)]
+    else:
+        if not isinstance(dtypes, (tuple, list)):
+            dtypes = [dtypes, ]
+        if len(data) != len(dtypes):
+            if len(dtypes) == 1:
+                dtypes = dtypes * len(data)
+            else:
+                msg = "The dtypes argument must be None, a dtype, or a list."
+                raise ValueError(msg)
+        data = [np.array(a, copy=False, subok=True, dtype=d).view([(n, d)])
+                for (a, n, d) in zip(data, names, dtypes)]
+    #
+    base = merge_arrays(base, usemask=usemask, fill_value=fill_value)
+    if len(data) > 1:
+        data = merge_arrays(data, flatten=True, usemask=usemask,
+                            fill_value=fill_value)
+    else:
+        data = data.pop()
+    #
+    output = ma.masked_all(max(len(base), len(data)),
+                           dtype=base.dtype.descr + data.dtype.descr)
+    output = recursive_fill_fields(base, output)
+    output = recursive_fill_fields(data, output)
+    #
+    return _fix_output(output, usemask=usemask, asrecarray=asrecarray)
+
+
+def rec_append_fields(base, names, data, dtypes=None):
+    """
+    Add new fields to an existing array.
+
+    The names of the fields are given with the `names` arguments,
+    the corresponding values with the `data` arguments.
+    If a single field is appended, `names`, `data` and `dtypes` do not have
+    to be lists but just values.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    base : array
+        Input array to extend.
+    names : string, sequence
+        String or sequence of strings corresponding to the names
+        of the new fields.
+    data : array or sequence of arrays
+        Array or sequence of arrays storing the fields to add to the base.
+    dtypes : sequence of datatypes, optional
+        Datatype or sequence of datatypes.
+        If None, the datatypes are estimated from the `data`.
+
+    See Also
+    --------
+    append_fields
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    appended_array : np.recarray
+    """
+    return append_fields(base, names, data=data, dtypes=dtypes,
+                         asrecarray=True, usemask=False)
+
+
+def stack_arrays(arrays, defaults=None, usemask=True, asrecarray=False,
+                 autoconvert=False):
+    """
+    Superposes arrays fields by fields
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    arrays : array or sequence
+        Sequence of input arrays.
+    defaults : dictionary, optional
+        Dictionary mapping field names to the corresponding default values.
+    usemask : {True, False}, optional
+        Whether to return a MaskedArray (or MaskedRecords is
+        `asrecarray==True`) or a ndarray.
+    asrecarray : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a recarray (or MaskedRecords if `usemask==True`)
+        or just a flexible-type ndarray.
+    autoconvert : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether automatically cast the type of the field to the maximum.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> x = np.array([1, 2,])
+    >>> rfn.stack_arrays(x) is x
+    True
+    >>> z = np.array([('A', 1), ('B', 2)], dtype=[('A', '|S3'), ('B', float)])
+    >>> zz = np.array([('a', 10., 100.), ('b', 20., 200.), ('c', 30., 300.)],
+    ...   dtype=[('A', '|S3'), ('B', float), ('C', float)])
+    >>> test = rfn.stack_arrays((z,zz))
+    >>> test
+    masked_array(data = [('A', 1.0, --) ('B', 2.0, --) ('a', 10.0, 100.0) ('b', 20.0, 200.0)
+     ('c', 30.0, 300.0)],
+                 mask = [(False, False, True) (False, False, True) (False, False, False)
+     (False, False, False) (False, False, False)],
+           fill_value = ('N/A', 1e+20, 1e+20),
+                dtype = [('A', '|S3'), ('B', '<f8'), ('C', '<f8')])
+
+    """
+    if isinstance(arrays, ndarray):
+        return arrays
+    elif len(arrays) == 1:
+        return arrays[0]
+    seqarrays = [np.asanyarray(a).ravel() for a in arrays]
+    nrecords = [len(a) for a in seqarrays]
+    ndtype = [a.dtype for a in seqarrays]
+    fldnames = [d.names for d in ndtype]
+    #
+    dtype_l = ndtype[0]
+    newdescr = dtype_l.descr
+    names = [_[0] for _ in newdescr]
+    for dtype_n in ndtype[1:]:
+        for descr in dtype_n.descr:
+            name = descr[0] or ''
+            if name not in names:
+                newdescr.append(descr)
+                names.append(name)
+            else:
+                nameidx = names.index(name)
+                current_descr = newdescr[nameidx]
+                if autoconvert:
+                    if np.dtype(descr[1]) > np.dtype(current_descr[-1]):
+                        current_descr = list(current_descr)
+                        current_descr[-1] = descr[1]
+                        newdescr[nameidx] = tuple(current_descr)
+                elif descr[1] != current_descr[-1]:
+                    raise TypeError("Incompatible type '%s' <> '%s'" %
+                                    (dict(newdescr)[name], descr[1]))
+    # Only one field: use concatenate
+    if len(newdescr) == 1:
+        output = ma.concatenate(seqarrays)
+    else:
+        #
+        output = ma.masked_all((np.sum(nrecords),), newdescr)
+        offset = np.cumsum(np.r_[0, nrecords])
+        seen = []
+        for (a, n, i, j) in zip(seqarrays, fldnames, offset[:-1], offset[1:]):
+            names = a.dtype.names
+            if names is None:
+                output['f%i' % len(seen)][i:j] = a
+            else:
+                for name in n:
+                    output[name][i:j] = a[name]
+                    if name not in seen:
+                        seen.append(name)
+    #
+    return _fix_output(_fix_defaults(output, defaults),
+                       usemask=usemask, asrecarray=asrecarray)
+
+
+def find_duplicates(a, key=None, ignoremask=True, return_index=False):
+    """
+    Find the duplicates in a structured array along a given key
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    a : array-like
+        Input array
+    key : {string, None}, optional
+        Name of the fields along which to check the duplicates.
+        If None, the search is performed by records
+    ignoremask : {True, False}, optional
+        Whether masked data should be discarded or considered as duplicates.
+    return_index : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return the indices of the duplicated values.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
+    >>> ndtype = [('a', int)]
+    >>> a = np.ma.array([1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3],
+    ...         mask=[0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1]).view(ndtype)
+    >>> rfn.find_duplicates(a, ignoremask=True, return_index=True)
+    ... # XXX: judging by the output, the ignoremask flag has no effect
+    """
+    a = np.asanyarray(a).ravel()
+    # Get a dictionary of fields
+    fields = get_fieldstructure(a.dtype)
+    # Get the sorting data (by selecting the corresponding field)
+    base = a
+    if key:
+        for f in fields[key]:
+            base = base[f]
+        base = base[key]
+    # Get the sorting indices and the sorted data
+    sortidx = base.argsort()
+    sortedbase = base[sortidx]
+    sorteddata = sortedbase.filled()
+    # Compare the sorting data
+    flag = (sorteddata[:-1] == sorteddata[1:])
+    # If masked data must be ignored, set the flag to false where needed
+    if ignoremask:
+        sortedmask = sortedbase.recordmask
+        flag[sortedmask[1:]] = False
+    flag = np.concatenate(([False], flag))
+    # We need to take the point on the left as well (else we're missing it)
+    flag[:-1] = flag[:-1] + flag[1:]
+    duplicates = a[sortidx][flag]
+    if return_index:
+        return (duplicates, sortidx[flag])
+    else:
+        return duplicates
+
+
+def join_by(key, r1, r2, jointype='inner', r1postfix='1', r2postfix='2',
+                defaults=None, usemask=True, asrecarray=False):
+    """
+    Join arrays `r1` and `r2` on key `key`.
+
+    The key should be either a string or a sequence of string corresponding
+    to the fields used to join the array.  An exception is raised if the
+    `key` field cannot be found in the two input arrays.  Neither `r1` nor
+    `r2` should have any duplicates along `key`: the presence of duplicates
+    will make the output quite unreliable. Note that duplicates are not
+    looked for by the algorithm.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    key : {string, sequence}
+        A string or a sequence of strings corresponding to the fields used
+        for comparison.
+    r1, r2 : arrays
+        Structured arrays.
+    jointype : {'inner', 'outer', 'leftouter'}, optional
+        If 'inner', returns the elements common to both r1 and r2.
+        If 'outer', returns the common elements as well as the elements of
+        r1 not in r2 and the elements of not in r2.
+        If 'leftouter', returns the common elements and the elements of r1
+        not in r2.
+    r1postfix : string, optional
+        String appended to the names of the fields of r1 that are present
+        in r2 but absent of the key.
+    r2postfix : string, optional
+        String appended to the names of the fields of r2 that are present
+        in r1 but absent of the key.
+    defaults : {dictionary}, optional
+        Dictionary mapping field names to the corresponding default values.
+    usemask : {True, False}, optional
+        Whether to return a MaskedArray (or MaskedRecords is
+        `asrecarray==True`) or a ndarray.
+    asrecarray : {False, True}, optional
+        Whether to return a recarray (or MaskedRecords if `usemask==True`)
+        or just a flexible-type ndarray.
+
+    Notes
+    -----
+    * The output is sorted along the key.
+    * A temporary array is formed by dropping the fields not in the key for
+      the two arrays and concatenating the result. This array is then
+      sorted, and the common entries selected. The output is constructed by
+      filling the fields with the selected entries. Matching is not
+      preserved if there are some duplicates...
+
+    """
+    # Check jointype
+    if jointype not in ('inner', 'outer', 'leftouter'):
+        raise ValueError(
+                "The 'jointype' argument should be in 'inner', "
+                "'outer' or 'leftouter' (got '%s' instead)" % jointype
+                )
+    # If we have a single key, put it in a tuple
+    if isinstance(key, basestring):
+        key = (key,)
+
+    # Check the keys
+    for name in key:
+        if name not in r1.dtype.names:
+            raise ValueError('r1 does not have key field %s' % name)
+        if name not in r2.dtype.names:
+            raise ValueError('r2 does not have key field %s' % name)
+
+    # Make sure we work with ravelled arrays
+    r1 = r1.ravel()
+    r2 = r2.ravel()
+    # Fixme: nb2 below is never used. Commenting out for pyflakes.
+    # (nb1, nb2) = (len(r1), len(r2))
+    nb1 = len(r1)
+    (r1names, r2names) = (r1.dtype.names, r2.dtype.names)
+
+    # Check the names for collision
+    if (set.intersection(set(r1names), set(r2names)).difference(key) and
+            not (r1postfix or r2postfix)):
+        msg = "r1 and r2 contain common names, r1postfix and r2postfix "
+        msg += "can't be empty"
+        raise ValueError(msg)
+
+    # Make temporary arrays of just the keys
+    r1k = drop_fields(r1, [n for n in r1names if n not in key])
+    r2k = drop_fields(r2, [n for n in r2names if n not in key])
+
+    # Concatenate the two arrays for comparison
+    aux = ma.concatenate((r1k, r2k))
+    idx_sort = aux.argsort(order=key)
+    aux = aux[idx_sort]
+    #
+    # Get the common keys
+    flag_in = ma.concatenate(([False], aux[1:] == aux[:-1]))
+    flag_in[:-1] = flag_in[1:] + flag_in[:-1]
+    idx_in = idx_sort[flag_in]
+    idx_1 = idx_in[(idx_in < nb1)]
+    idx_2 = idx_in[(idx_in >= nb1)] - nb1
+    (r1cmn, r2cmn) = (len(idx_1), len(idx_2))
+    if jointype == 'inner':
+        (r1spc, r2spc) = (0, 0)
+    elif jointype == 'outer':
+        idx_out = idx_sort[~flag_in]
+        idx_1 = np.concatenate((idx_1, idx_out[(idx_out < nb1)]))
+        idx_2 = np.concatenate((idx_2, idx_out[(idx_out >= nb1)] - nb1))
+        (r1spc, r2spc) = (len(idx_1) - r1cmn, len(idx_2) - r2cmn)
+    elif jointype == 'leftouter':
+        idx_out = idx_sort[~flag_in]
+        idx_1 = np.concatenate((idx_1, idx_out[(idx_out < nb1)]))
+        (r1spc, r2spc) = (len(idx_1) - r1cmn, 0)
+    # Select the entries from each input
+    (s1, s2) = (r1[idx_1], r2[idx_2])
+    #
+    # Build the new description of the output array .......
+    # Start with the key fields
+    ndtype = [list(_) for _ in r1k.dtype.descr]
+    # Add the other fields
+    ndtype.extend(list(_) for _ in r1.dtype.descr if _[0] not in key)
+    # Find the new list of names (it may be different from r1names)
+    names = list(_[0] for _ in ndtype)
+    for desc in r2.dtype.descr:
+        desc = list(desc)
+        name = desc[0]
+        # Have we seen the current name already ?
+        if name in names:
+            nameidx = ndtype.index(desc)
+            current = ndtype[nameidx]
+            # The current field is part of the key: take the largest dtype
+            if name in key:
+                current[-1] = max(desc[1], current[-1])
+            # The current field is not part of the key: add the suffixes
+            else:
+                current[0] += r1postfix
+                desc[0] += r2postfix
+                ndtype.insert(nameidx + 1, desc)
+        #... we haven't: just add the description to the current list
+        else:
+            names.extend(desc[0])
+            ndtype.append(desc)
+    # Revert the elements to tuples
+    ndtype = [tuple(_) for _ in ndtype]
+    # Find the largest nb of common fields :
+    # r1cmn and r2cmn should be equal, but...
+    cmn = max(r1cmn, r2cmn)
+    # Construct an empty array
+    output = ma.masked_all((cmn + r1spc + r2spc,), dtype=ndtype)
+    names = output.dtype.names
+    for f in r1names:
+        selected = s1[f]
+        if f not in names or (f in r2names and not r2postfix and f not in key):
+            f += r1postfix
+        current = output[f]
+        current[:r1cmn] = selected[:r1cmn]
+        if jointype in ('outer', 'leftouter'):
+            current[cmn:cmn + r1spc] = selected[r1cmn:]
+    for f in r2names:
+        selected = s2[f]
+        if f not in names or (f in r1names and not r1postfix and f not in key):
+            f += r2postfix
+        current = output[f]
+        current[:r2cmn] = selected[:r2cmn]
+        if (jointype == 'outer') and r2spc:
+            current[-r2spc:] = selected[r2cmn:]
+    # Sort and finalize the output
+    output.sort(order=key)
+    kwargs = dict(usemask=usemask, asrecarray=asrecarray)
+    return _fix_output(_fix_defaults(output, defaults), **kwargs)
+
+
+def rec_join(key, r1, r2, jointype='inner', r1postfix='1', r2postfix='2',
+             defaults=None):
+    """
+    Join arrays `r1` and `r2` on keys.
+    Alternative to join_by, that always returns a np.recarray.
+
+    See Also
+    --------
+    join_by : equivalent function
+    """
+    kwargs = dict(jointype=jointype, r1postfix=r1postfix, r2postfix=r2postfix,
+                  defaults=defaults, usemask=False, asrecarray=True)
+    return join_by(key, r1, r2, **kwargs)