StringFunctions

alias · alias_list · head · is_artificial · is_name · is_point_process · left · len · references · right · substr · tail

StringFunctions (String Manipulation Class)

class StringFunctions

Syntax:

obj = h.StringFunctions()

Description:

The StringFunctions class contains functions which you can apply to a strdef. This class exists purely for the utility of preventing pollution of name space with string operations.

Example:

from neuron import h
sf = h.StringFunctions()

---

StringFunctions.len()

Syntax:

length = strobj.len(str)

Description:

Return the length of a string.

Example:

from neuron import h
s = h.ref("hello")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
length = sf.len(s)
print length

---

StringFunctions.substr()

Syntax:

index = strobj.substr(s1, s2)

Description:

Return the index into s1 of the first occurrence of s2. If s2 isn't a substring then the return value is -1.

Example:

from neuron import h
s1 = h.ref("allowed")
s2 = h.ref("low")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
index = sf.substr(s1, s2)

---

StringFunctions.head()

Syntax:

strobj.head(str, "regexp", result)

Description:

The result contains the head of the string up to but not including the regexp. returns index of last char.

Example:

from neuron import h
s1 = h.ref("hello world")
s2 = h.ref("")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
index = sf.head(s1, "[e]", s2)
print s2[0]

---

StringFunctions.tail()

Syntax:

strobj.tail(str, "regexp", result)

Description:

The result contains the tail of the string from the char following regexp to the end of the string. return index of first char.

Other functions can be added as needed, eg., index(s1, c1), char(s1, i), etc. without polluting the global name space. In recent versions functions can return strings.

Example:

from neuron import h
s1 = h.ref("hello world")
s2 = h.ref("")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
index = sf.tail(s1, "[e]", s2)
print s2[0]

---

StringFunctions.right()

Syntax:

strobj.right(str, n)

Description:

Removes first n characters from str and puts the result in str.

Example:

from neuron import h
s = h.ref("hello")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
sf.right(s, 3)
print s[0]

---

StringFunctions.left()

Syntax:

.left(str, n)

Description:

Removes all but first n characters from str and puts the result in str

Example:

from neuron import h
s = h.ref("hello")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
sf.left(s, 3)
print s[0]

---

StringFunctions.is_name()

Syntax:

.is_name(str)

Description:

Returns 1 if the str is the name of a symbol, 0 otherwise. This is so useful that the same thing is available with the top level name_declared() function.

Example:

from neuron import h
s1 = h.ref("hello world")
sf = h.StringFunctions()
name = sf.is_name(s1)
print name

Here is an example with one string that works, and another that does not:

from neuron import h
sf = h.StringFunctions()
# valid name
print sf.is_name("xvalue")
# invalid name
print sf.is_name("xsquiggle")

---

StringFunctions.alias()

Syntax:

.alias(obj, "name", &var2)

.alias(obj, "name", obj2)

.alias(obj, "name")

.alias(obj)

Description:

"name" becomes a public variable for obj and points to the scalar var2 or object obj2. obj.name may be used anywhere the var2 or obj2 may be used. With no third arg, the "name" is removed from the objects alias list. With no second arg, the objects alias list is cleared.

Example:

from neuron import h
sf = h.StringFunctions()
v = h.Vector()
sf.alias(v, 't', h._ref_t)
print('v.t = %g' % v.t)
h.t = 42
print('v.t = %g' % v.t)

---

StringFunctions.alias_list()

Syntax:

list = sf.alias_list(obj)

Description:

Return a new List object containing String objects which contain the alias names.

Warning

The String class is not a built-in class. It generally gets declared when the nrngui.hoc file is loaded and lives in stdlib.hoc. Note that the String class must exist and its constructor must allow a single strdef argument. Minimally:

Example:

from neuron import h
h.load_file('stdrun.hoc')
sf = h.StringFunctions()
v = h.Vector()
al = sf.alias_list(v)
print al

---

StringFunctions.references()

Syntax:

sf.references(object)

Description:

Prints the number of references to the object and all objref names that reference that object (including references via HBox, VBox, and List). It also prints the number of references found.

Example:

from neuron import h
s1 = h.Section(name='soma')
strobj = h.StringFunctions()
strobj.references(s1)

---

StringFunctions.is_point_process()

Syntax:

i = sf.is_point_process(object)

Description:

Returns 0 if the object is not a POINT_PROCESS. Otherwise returns the point type (which is always 1 greater than the index into the MechanismType(1) list).

Example:

from neuron import h
h.load_file('stdrun.hoc')
s1 = h.Section(name='soma')
syn = h.ExpSyn(s1(0.5))
sf = h.StringFunctions()
# not point process
print sf.is_point_process(s1)
# point process
print sf.is_point_process(syn)
c = h.IntFire1()
# point process
print ssf.is_point_process(c)

---

StringFunctions.is_artificial()

Syntax:

i = sf.is_artificial(object)

Description:

Returns 0 if the object is not an ARTIFICIAL_CELL. Otherwise returns the point type (which is always 1 greater than the index into the MechanismType(1) list).

Example:

from neuron import h
h.load_file('stdrun.hoc')
s1 = h.Section(name='soma')
syn = h.ExpSyn(s1(0.5))
# initiate string function
sf = h.StringFunctions()
c = h.IntFire1()
# artificial
print sf.is_artificial(c)
# not artificial
print sf.is_artificial(syn)