Python bug? Indexing to matrices

[David]

Should the following line work for defining a matrix with zeros?

c= [[0]*col]*row

where "col" is the number of columns in the matrix and "row" is of
course the number of rows.

If this a valid way of initializing a matrix in Python 3.2.1, then it
appears to me that a bug surfaces in Python when performing this line:

c[j] = c[j] + a[k] * b[k][j]

It writes to the jth column rather than just the i,j cell.

I'm new at Python and am not sure if I'm just doing something wrong if
there is really a bug in Python. The script works fine if I
initialize the matrix with numpy instead:

c = np.zeros((row,col))

So, I know my matrix multiply algorithm is correct (I know I could use
numpy for matrix multiplication, this was just to learn Python).

I've attached my source code below.

TIA,

David

-----

#!python
# dot.py - Matrix multiply in matricies: [c] = [a] *

import numpy as np

a = [[3, 7], [-2, 1], [2, 4]]
b = [[2, 1, -3, 1], [4, 3, -2, 3]]

print("a = {0}, b = {1}".format(a,b))


row = len(a)
col = len(b[0])

#c = np.zeros((row,col)) # <----- Correct results when using this
line
c= [[0]*col]*row # <----- Incorrect results when using
this line
print(c)

for i in range(row): # Index into rows of [a]
for j in range(col): # Index into columns of
c[j] = 0

for k in range(len(b)): # Index into columns of [a] and rows of
print("c[{0}][{1}] + a[{2}][{3}] * b[{4}][{5}] = {6} + {7} *
{8}".format(i,j,i,k,k,j,c[j],a[k],b[k][j]))
c[j] = c[j] + a[k] * b[k][j]

print(c)

 

[Chris Rebert]

Should the following line work for defining a matrix with zeros?

c= [[0]*col]*row

where "col" is the number of columns in the matrix and "row" is of
course the number of rows.

Nope. See the FAQ:
http://docs.python.org/faq/programming.html#how-do-i-create-a-multidimensional-list

Cheers,
Chris

 

[sturlamolden]

Should the following line work for defining a matrix with zeros?

c= [[0]*col]*row

No. The rows will be aliased.

This will work:

c = [[0]*col for i in range(row)]

Note that Python lists are not ment to be used as matrices. We have
NumPy or the array module for that.

If this a valid way of initializing a matrix in Python 3.2.1, then it
appears to me that a bug surfaces in Python when performing this line:

c[j] = c[j] + a[k] * b[k][j]

It writes to the jth column rather than just the i,j cell.

That is due to aliasing.

I'm new at Python and am not sure if I'm just doing something wrong if
there is really a bug in Python.  The script works fine if I
initialize the matrix with numpy instead:

c = np.zeros((row,col))

So, I know my matrix multiply algorithm is correct (I know I could use
numpy for matrix multiplication, this was just to learn Python).

Like so:

np.dot(a,b)

or

ma = np.matrix(a)
mb = np.matrix(b)
a*b

or call BLAS directly:

scipy.linalg.fblas.dgemm


Sturla

 

[sturlamolden]

   ma = np.matrix(a)
   mb = np.matrix(b)
   a*b

ma*mb

Sorry for the typo.

 

[David]

Thank all for the very helpful replies. The goal of the matrix
multiply exercise was just to help my son and I learn Python better.
I now understand *why* my initialization of [c] was wrong and I am
continuing to check out numpy and scipy.

Regards,
David