3.5.5.6 PatternPattern-func
The pattern( ) function can be used to generate patterned numeric or text data.
- To generate patterned numeric data, the syntax is pattern(from, to, inc, value repeat count, sequence repeat count)
- In which,
- from specifies the starting value of the generated data sequence
- to specifies the ending value of the generated data sequence
- inc specifies the increment within the generated data sequence
- value repeat count specifies how many times each value repeats itself in the generated data sequence
- sequence repeat count specifies how many times each whole data sequence repeats itself in the generated dataset
- To generate patterned text data, the syntax is pattern(string source, value repeat count, sequence repeat count)
- In which,
- string source specifies the string series you would like to use to generate. It can be a string array, or quoted string separated by pipe(|), comma(,) or space, or a range variable.
- value repeat count specifies how many times each value repeats itself in the generated data sequence
- sequence repeat count specifies how many times each whole data sequence repeats itself in the generated dataset
Note: In order to reorder the patterned data randomly, you can use the Uniform( ) function, to specify the seed as a data range.
Examples:
//Fill in column A with numeric data with the data sequence 0 0 0.5 0.5 1 1 repeated by three times.
col(A)=pattern(0,1,0.5,2,3);
//Fill in column B with a defined string array
stringarray sa;
sa.Add("Origin");
sa.Add("Lab");
col(B)=pattern(sa, 2, 3);
//Fill in column C,D and E with quoted strings
col(C)=pattern("Origin|Lab", 2, 3);
col(D)=pattern("Origin,Lab", 2, 3);
col(E)=pattern("Origin Lab", 2, 3);
//Fill in column F with the data series in column B
col(F)=pattern(col(B), 2, 3);
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