best way to update items in arrays value based on -1 and 1

I have the following arrays

The first arr (ArrA), that is the input

The second arr (ArrB) that is the desired results.

Now the logic is that when it see's a 1, the value continues to be a 1, until some new (nonzero) number is found.

When it then sees the new number (eg -1), the following values are then -1, until a new (nonzero) value is found.

So basically it start with 0, 0, 0, it then see's a 1, so the value is 1, until it finds a -1, when it finds that the values are -1 until it finds a 1, and so on.

Numbers int his array will always be either 0, 1, -1.

Now i've been thinking of loops and stuff, but it all seems very complicated with loops within loops

so any help will be appreciated.

ArrA = [0,0,0,1,0,1,0,-1, 0, 0,-1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, -1,  0,  0];
ArrB = [0,0,0,1,1,1,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1 -1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, -1, -1, -1];

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

This will do it, if you have the Image Processing Toolbox.

ArrA = [0,0,0,1,0,1,0,-1, 0, 0,-1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, -1,  0,  0];
ArrBRef = [0,0,0,1,1,1,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1 -1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, -1, -1, -1]

ArrBRef = 1×22

0 0 0 1 1 1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 -1 -1

% Initialize output array
ArrB = ArrA;
props = regionprops(ArrA == 0, 'PixelList'); % Get indexes of each group of zeros.
% Loop over each group, reassigning zeros to the value prior to the zeros.
for k = 1 : length(props)
	theseIndexes = props(k).PixelList(:, 1); % Get indexes for this group only.
	% Skip the set of 0's if it's at the beginning because there is no prior value.
	if theseIndexes(1) == 1
		continue; % Skip to bottom of loop.
	end
	% Set values at these indexes equal to the prior value.
	ArrB(theseIndexes) = ArrB(theseIndexes(1) - 1);
end
ArrB % Display in command window.

ArrB = 1×22

0 0 0 1 1 1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 -1 -1

[Rizwan Khan]

Thank you Sir,

This solves my problem

Answer 2

[Rik]

Use find to find out how many leading zeros you have. Then set all zeros to 1 and use cumprod. Then set the leading zeros as required.

There is probably a more efficient way to do this, but this will get you most of the way there.

[Rizwan Khan]

Thanks for your help, however, setting all zeros to one 1 does not solve the problem.

Some of the zeros will become a 1, while others need to be -1.

So i'm unsure how your suggested approach will resolve it for me.

[Rik]

That is what the cumprod is for.

%  if this is your array:
%       [1 0 -1 0]
%  then this will be the result of the cumprod call
cumprod([1 1 -1 1])

ans = 1×4

1 1 -1 -1

Although I now realise that this will not work if you have multiple -1 in a stretch:

%       [1 0 -1 0 -1]
cumprod([1 1 -1 1 -1])

ans = 1×5

1 1 -1 -1 1

Answer 3

[Walter Roberson]

You do not need loops within loops.

Keep a single variable that records what you are currently converting 0 to.

Scan. At each position, if the input is 1, output is 1, record that you are converting to 1. If the input is -1, output is -1, record that you are converting to -1. Otherwise, input must be 0, and output the recorded value.

WIth some work you can get it down to a single comparison for each input character.