"""
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.

"""
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.core.overrides import array_function_dispatch
from numpy.lib._iotools import _is_string_like

_check_fill_value = np.ma.core._check_fill_value


__all__ = [
    'append_fields', 'apply_along_fields', 'assign_fields_by_name',
    'drop_fields', 'find_duplicates', 'flatten_descr',
    'get_fieldstructure', 'get_names', 'get_names_flat',
    'join_by', 'merge_arrays', 'rec_append_fields',
    'rec_drop_fields', 'rec_join', 'recursive_fill_fields',
    'rename_fields', 'repack_fields', 'require_fields',
    'stack_arrays', 'structured_to_unstructured', 'unstructured_to_structured',
    ]


def _recursive_fill_fields_dispatcher(input, output):
    return (input, output)


@array_function_dispatch(_recursive_fill_fields_dispatcher)
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', np.int64), ('B', np.float64)])
    >>> b = np.zeros((3,), dtype=a.dtype)
    >>> rfn.recursive_fill_fields(a, b)
    array([(1, 10.), (2, 20.), (0,  0.)], dtype=[('A', '>> dt = np.dtype([(('a', 'A'), np.int64), ('b', np.double, 3)])
    >>> dt.descr
    [(('a', 'A'), '>> _get_fieldspec(dt)
    [(('a', 'A'), dtype('int64')), ('b', dtype(('>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> rfn.get_names(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A', int)]).dtype)
    ('A',)
    >>> rfn.get_names(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A',int), ('B', float)]).dtype)
    ('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 is not None:
            listnames.append((name, tuple(get_names(current))))
        else:
            listnames.append(name)
    return tuple(listnames)


def get_names_flat(adtype):
    """
    Returns the field names of the input datatype as a tuple. Input datatype
    must have fields otherwise error is raised.
    Nested structure are flattened beforehand.

    Parameters
    ----------
    adtype : dtype
        Input datatype

    Examples
    --------
    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> rfn.get_names_flat(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A', int)]).dtype) is None
    False
    >>> rfn.get_names_flat(np.empty((1,), dtype=[('A',int), ('B', str)]).dtype)
    ('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 is not None:
            listnames.extend(get_names_flat(current))
    return tuple(listnames)


def flatten_descr(ndtype):
    """
    Flatten a structured data-type description.

    Examples
    --------
    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> ndtype = np.dtype([('a', '>> rfn.flatten_descr(ndtype)
    (('a', dtype('int32')), ('ba', dtype('float64')), ('bb', dtype('int32')))

    """
    names = ndtype.names
    if names is None:
        return (('', ndtype),)
    else:
        descr = []
        for field in names:
            (typ, _) = ndtype.fields[field]
            if typ.names is not None:
                descr.extend(flatten_descr(typ))
            else:
                descr.append((field, typ))
        return tuple(descr)


def _zip_dtype(seqarrays, flatten=False):
    newdtype = []
    if flatten:
        for a in seqarrays:
            newdtype.extend(flatten_descr(a.dtype))
    else:
        for a in seqarrays:
            current = a.dtype
            if current.names is not None and len(current.names) == 1:
                # special case - dtypes of 1 field are flattened
                newdtype.extend(_get_fieldspec(current))
            else:
                newdtype.append(('', current))
    return np.dtype(newdtype)


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.
    """
    return _zip_dtype(seqarrays, flatten=flatten).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 is not None:
            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


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):
            yield from _izip_fields_flat(tuple(element))
        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, str)):
            yield from _izip_fields(element)
        elif isinstance(element, np.void) and len(tuple(element)) == 1:
            # this statement is the same from the previous expression
            yield from _izip_fields(element)
        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
    """

    # Should we flatten the items, or just use a nested approach
    if flatten:
        zipfunc = _izip_fields_flat
    else:
        zipfunc = _izip_fields

    for tup in itertools.zip_longest(*seqarrays, fillvalue=fill_value):
        yield tuple(zipfunc(tup))


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_dispatcher(seqarrays, fill_value=None, flatten=None,
                             usemask=None, asrecarray=None):
    return seqarrays


@array_function_dispatch(_merge_arrays_dispatcher)
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.])))
    array([( 1, 10.), ( 2, 20.), (-1, 30.)],
          dtype=[('f0', '>> rfn.merge_arrays((np.array([1, 2], dtype=np.int64),
    ...         np.array([10., 20., 30.])), usemask=False)
     array([(1, 10.0), (2, 20.0), (-1, 30.0)],
             dtype=[('f0', '>> rfn.merge_arrays((np.array([1, 2]).view([('a', np.int64)]),
    ...               np.array([10., 20., 30.])),
    ...              usemask=False, asrecarray=True)
    rec.array([( 1, 10.), ( 2, 20.), (-1, 30.)],
              dtype=[('a', '>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> a = np.array([(1, (2, 3.0)), (4, (5, 6.0))],
    ...   dtype=[('a', np.int64), ('b', [('ba', np.double), ('bb', np.int64)])])
    >>> rfn.drop_fields(a, 'a')
    array([((2., 3),), ((5., 6),)],
          dtype=[('b', [('ba', '>> rfn.drop_fields(a, 'ba')
    array([(1, (3,)), (4, (6,))], dtype=[('a', '>> rfn.drop_fields(a, ['ba', 'bb'])
    array([(1,), (4,)], dtype=[('a', '>> 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., [ 3., 30.])), (4, (5., [ 6., 60.]))],
          dtype=[('A', ' 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=_get_fieldspec(base.dtype) + _get_fieldspec(data.dtype))
    output = recursive_fill_fields(base, output)
    output = recursive_fill_fields(data, output)
    #
    return _fix_output(output, usemask=usemask, asrecarray=asrecarray)


def _rec_append_fields_dispatcher(base, names, data, dtypes=None):
    yield base
    yield from data


@array_function_dispatch(_rec_append_fields_dispatcher)
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 _repack_fields_dispatcher(a, align=None, recurse=None):
    return (a,)


@array_function_dispatch(_repack_fields_dispatcher)
def repack_fields(a, align=False, recurse=False):
    """
    Re-pack the fields of a structured array or dtype in memory.

    The memory layout of structured datatypes allows fields at arbitrary
    byte offsets. This means the fields can be separated by padding bytes,
    their offsets can be non-monotonically increasing, and they can overlap.

    This method removes any overlaps and reorders the fields in memory so they
    have increasing byte offsets, and adds or removes padding bytes depending
    on the `align` option, which behaves like the `align` option to
    `numpy.dtype`.

    If `align=False`, this method produces a "packed" memory layout in which
    each field starts at the byte the previous field ended, and any padding
    bytes are removed.

    If `align=True`, this methods produces an "aligned" memory layout in which
    each field's offset is a multiple of its alignment, and the total itemsize
    is a multiple of the largest alignment, by adding padding bytes as needed.

    Parameters
    ----------
    a : ndarray or dtype
       array or dtype for which to repack the fields.
    align : boolean
       If true, use an "aligned" memory layout, otherwise use a "packed" layout.
    recurse : boolean
       If True, also repack nested structures.

    Returns
    -------
    repacked : ndarray or dtype
       Copy of `a` with fields repacked, or `a` itself if no repacking was
       needed.

    Examples
    --------

    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> def print_offsets(d):
    ...     print("offsets:", [d.fields[name][1] for name in d.names])
    ...     print("itemsize:", d.itemsize)
    ...
    >>> dt = np.dtype('u1, >> dt
    dtype({'names': ['f0', 'f1', 'f2'], 'formats': ['u1', '>> print_offsets(dt)
    offsets: [0, 8, 16]
    itemsize: 24
    >>> packed_dt = rfn.repack_fields(dt)
    >>> packed_dt
    dtype([('f0', 'u1'), ('f1', '>> print_offsets(packed_dt)
    offsets: [0, 1, 9]
    itemsize: 17

    """
    if not isinstance(a, np.dtype):
        dt = repack_fields(a.dtype, align=align, recurse=recurse)
        return a.astype(dt, copy=False)

    if a.names is None:
        return a

    fieldinfo = []
    for name in a.names:
        tup = a.fields[name]
        if recurse:
            fmt = repack_fields(tup[0], align=align, recurse=True)
        else:
            fmt = tup[0]

        if len(tup) == 3:
            name = (tup[2], name)

        fieldinfo.append((name, fmt))

    dt = np.dtype(fieldinfo, align=align)
    return np.dtype((a.type, dt))

def _get_fields_and_offsets(dt, offset=0):
    """
    Returns a flat list of (dtype, count, offset) tuples of all the
    scalar fields in the dtype "dt", including nested fields, in left
    to right order.
    """

    # counts up elements in subarrays, including nested subarrays, and returns
    # base dtype and count
    def count_elem(dt):
        count = 1
        while dt.shape != ():
            for size in dt.shape:
                count *= size
            dt = dt.base
        return dt, count

    fields = []
    for name in dt.names:
        field = dt.fields[name]
        f_dt, f_offset = field[0], field[1]
        f_dt, n = count_elem(f_dt)

        if f_dt.names is None:
            fields.append((np.dtype((f_dt, (n,))), n, f_offset + offset))
        else:
            subfields = _get_fields_and_offsets(f_dt, f_offset + offset)
            size = f_dt.itemsize

            for i in range(n):
                if i == 0:
                    # optimization: avoid list comprehension if no subarray
                    fields.extend(subfields)
                else:
                    fields.extend([(d, c, o + i*size) for d, c, o in subfields])
    return fields

def _common_stride(offsets, counts, itemsize):
    """
    Returns the stride between the fields, or None if the stride is not
    constant. The values in "counts" designate the lengths of
    subarrays. Subarrays are treated as many contiguous fields, with
    always positive stride.
    """
    if len(offsets) <= 1:
        return itemsize

    negative = offsets[1] < offsets[0]  # negative stride
    if negative:
        # reverse, so offsets will be ascending
        it = zip(reversed(offsets), reversed(counts))
    else:
        it = zip(offsets, counts)

    prev_offset = None
    stride = None
    for offset, count in it:
        if count != 1:  # subarray: always c-contiguous
            if negative:
                return None  # subarrays can never have a negative stride
            if stride is None:
                stride = itemsize
            if stride != itemsize:
                return None
            end_offset = offset + (count - 1) * itemsize
        else:
            end_offset = offset

        if prev_offset is not None:
            new_stride = offset - prev_offset
            if stride is None:
                stride = new_stride
            if stride != new_stride:
                return None

        prev_offset = end_offset

    if negative:
        return -stride
    return stride


def _structured_to_unstructured_dispatcher(arr, dtype=None, copy=None,
                                           casting=None):
    return (arr,)

@array_function_dispatch(_structured_to_unstructured_dispatcher)
def structured_to_unstructured(arr, dtype=None, copy=False, casting='unsafe'):
    """
    Converts an n-D structured array into an (n+1)-D unstructured array.

    The new array will have a new last dimension equal in size to the
    number of field-elements of the input array. If not supplied, the output
    datatype is determined from the numpy type promotion rules applied to all
    the field datatypes.

    Nested fields, as well as each element of any subarray fields, all count
    as a single field-elements.

    Parameters
    ----------
    arr : ndarray
       Structured array or dtype to convert. Cannot contain object datatype.
    dtype : dtype, optional
       The dtype of the output unstructured array.
    copy : bool, optional
        If true, always return a copy. If false, a view is returned if
        possible, such as when the `dtype` and strides of the fields are
        suitable and the array subtype is one of `np.ndarray`, `np.recarray`
        or `np.memmap`.

        .. versionchanged:: 1.25.0
            A view can now be returned if the fields are separated by a
            uniform stride.

    casting : {'no', 'equiv', 'safe', 'same_kind', 'unsafe'}, optional
        See casting argument of `numpy.ndarray.astype`. Controls what kind of
        data casting may occur.

    Returns
    -------
    unstructured : ndarray
       Unstructured array with one more dimension.

    Examples
    --------

    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> a = np.zeros(4, dtype=[('a', 'i4'), ('b', 'f4,u2'), ('c', 'f4', 2)])
    >>> a
    array([(0, (0., 0), [0., 0.]), (0, (0., 0), [0., 0.]),
           (0, (0., 0), [0., 0.]), (0, (0., 0), [0., 0.])],
          dtype=[('a', '>> rfn.structured_to_unstructured(a)
    array([[0., 0., 0., 0., 0.],
           [0., 0., 0., 0., 0.],
           [0., 0., 0., 0., 0.],
           [0., 0., 0., 0., 0.]])

    >>> b = np.array([(1, 2, 5), (4, 5, 7), (7, 8 ,11), (10, 11, 12)],
    ...              dtype=[('x', 'i4'), ('y', 'f4'), ('z', 'f8')])
    >>> np.mean(rfn.structured_to_unstructured(b[['x', 'z']]), axis=-1)
    array([ 3. ,  5.5,  9. , 11. ])

    """
    if arr.dtype.names is None:
        raise ValueError('arr must be a structured array')

    fields = _get_fields_and_offsets(arr.dtype)
    n_fields = len(fields)
    if n_fields == 0 and dtype is None:
        raise ValueError("arr has no fields. Unable to guess dtype")
    elif n_fields == 0:
        # too many bugs elsewhere for this to work now
        raise NotImplementedError("arr with no fields is not supported")

    dts, counts, offsets = zip(*fields)
    names = ['f{}'.format(n) for n in range(n_fields)]

    if dtype is None:
        out_dtype = np.result_type(*[dt.base for dt in dts])
    else:
        out_dtype = np.dtype(dtype)

    # Use a series of views and casts to convert to an unstructured array:

    # first view using flattened fields (doesn't work for object arrays)
    # Note: dts may include a shape for subarrays
    flattened_fields = np.dtype({'names': names,
                                 'formats': dts,
                                 'offsets': offsets,
                                 'itemsize': arr.dtype.itemsize})
    arr = arr.view(flattened_fields)

    # we only allow a few types to be unstructured by manipulating the
    # strides, because we know it won't work with, for example, np.matrix nor
    # np.ma.MaskedArray.
    can_view = type(arr) in (np.ndarray, np.recarray, np.memmap)
    if (not copy) and can_view and all(dt.base == out_dtype for dt in dts):
        # all elements have the right dtype already; if they have a common
        # stride, we can just return a view
        common_stride = _common_stride(offsets, counts, out_dtype.itemsize)
        if common_stride is not None:
            wrap = arr.__array_wrap__

            new_shape = arr.shape + (sum(counts), out_dtype.itemsize)
            new_strides = arr.strides + (abs(common_stride), 1)

            arr = arr[..., np.newaxis].view(np.uint8)  # view as bytes
            arr = arr[..., min(offsets):]  # remove the leading unused data
            arr = np.lib.stride_tricks.as_strided(arr,
                                                  new_shape,
                                                  new_strides,
                                                  subok=True)

            # cast and drop the last dimension again
            arr = arr.view(out_dtype)[..., 0]

            if common_stride < 0:
                arr = arr[..., ::-1]  # reverse, if the stride was negative
            if type(arr) is not type(wrap.__self__):
                # Some types (e.g. recarray) turn into an ndarray along the
                # way, so we have to wrap it again in order to match the
                # behavior with copy=True.
                arr = wrap(arr)
            return arr

    # next cast to a packed format with all fields converted to new dtype
    packed_fields = np.dtype({'names': names,
                              'formats': [(out_dtype, dt.shape) for dt in dts]})
    arr = arr.astype(packed_fields, copy=copy, casting=casting)

    # finally is it safe to view the packed fields as the unstructured type
    return arr.view((out_dtype, (sum(counts),)))


def _unstructured_to_structured_dispatcher(arr, dtype=None, names=None,
                                           align=None, copy=None, casting=None):
    return (arr,)

@array_function_dispatch(_unstructured_to_structured_dispatcher)
def unstructured_to_structured(arr, dtype=None, names=None, align=False,
                               copy=False, casting='unsafe'):
    """
    Converts an n-D unstructured array into an (n-1)-D structured array.

    The last dimension of the input array is converted into a structure, with
    number of field-elements equal to the size of the last dimension of the
    input array. By default all output fields have the input array's dtype, but
    an output structured dtype with an equal number of fields-elements can be
    supplied instead.

    Nested fields, as well as each element of any subarray fields, all count
    towards the number of field-elements.

    Parameters
    ----------
    arr : ndarray
       Unstructured array or dtype to convert.
    dtype : dtype, optional
       The structured dtype of the output array
    names : list of strings, optional
       If dtype is not supplied, this specifies the field names for the output
       dtype, in order. The field dtypes will be the same as the input array.
    align : boolean, optional
       Whether to create an aligned memory layout.
    copy : bool, optional
        See copy argument to `numpy.ndarray.astype`. If true, always return a
        copy. If false, and `dtype` requirements are satisfied, a view is
        returned.
    casting : {'no', 'equiv', 'safe', 'same_kind', 'unsafe'}, optional
        See casting argument of `numpy.ndarray.astype`. Controls what kind of
        data casting may occur.

    Returns
    -------
    structured : ndarray
       Structured array with fewer dimensions.

    Examples
    --------

    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> dt = np.dtype([('a', 'i4'), ('b', 'f4,u2'), ('c', 'f4', 2)])
    >>> a = np.arange(20).reshape((4,5))
    >>> a
    array([[ 0,  1,  2,  3,  4],
           [ 5,  6,  7,  8,  9],
           [10, 11, 12, 13, 14],
           [15, 16, 17, 18, 19]])
    >>> rfn.unstructured_to_structured(a, dt)
    array([( 0, ( 1.,  2), [ 3.,  4.]), ( 5, ( 6.,  7), [ 8.,  9.]),
           (10, (11., 12), [13., 14.]), (15, (16., 17), [18., 19.])],
          dtype=[('a', '>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> b = np.array([(1, 2, 5), (4, 5, 7), (7, 8 ,11), (10, 11, 12)],
    ...              dtype=[('x', 'i4'), ('y', 'f4'), ('z', 'f8')])
    >>> rfn.apply_along_fields(np.mean, b)
    array([ 2.66666667,  5.33333333,  8.66666667, 11.        ])
    >>> rfn.apply_along_fields(np.mean, b[['x', 'z']])
    array([ 3. ,  5.5,  9. , 11. ])

    """
    if arr.dtype.names is None:
        raise ValueError('arr must be a structured array')

    uarr = structured_to_unstructured(arr)
    return func(uarr, axis=-1)
    # works and avoids axis requirement, but very, very slow:
    #return np.apply_along_axis(func, -1, uarr)

def _assign_fields_by_name_dispatcher(dst, src, zero_unassigned=None):
    return dst, src

@array_function_dispatch(_assign_fields_by_name_dispatcher)
def assign_fields_by_name(dst, src, zero_unassigned=True):
    """
    Assigns values from one structured array to another by field name.

    Normally in numpy >= 1.14, assignment of one structured array to another
    copies fields "by position", meaning that the first field from the src is
    copied to the first field of the dst, and so on, regardless of field name.

    This function instead copies "by field name", such that fields in the dst
    are assigned from the identically named field in the src. This applies
    recursively for nested structures. This is how structure assignment worked
    in numpy >= 1.6 to <= 1.13.

    Parameters
    ----------
    dst : ndarray
    src : ndarray
        The source and destination arrays during assignment.
    zero_unassigned : bool, optional
        If True, fields in the dst for which there was no matching
        field in the src are filled with the value 0 (zero). This
        was the behavior of numpy <= 1.13. If False, those fields
        are not modified.
    """

    if dst.dtype.names is None:
        dst[...] = src
        return

    for name in dst.dtype.names:
        if name not in src.dtype.names:
            if zero_unassigned:
                dst[name] = 0
        else:
            assign_fields_by_name(dst[name], src[name],
                                  zero_unassigned)

def _require_fields_dispatcher(array, required_dtype):
    return (array,)

@array_function_dispatch(_require_fields_dispatcher)
def require_fields(array, required_dtype):
    """
    Casts a structured array to a new dtype using assignment by field-name.

    This function assigns from the old to the new array by name, so the
    value of a field in the output array is the value of the field with the
    same name in the source array. This has the effect of creating a new
    ndarray containing only the fields "required" by the required_dtype.

    If a field name in the required_dtype does not exist in the
    input array, that field is created and set to 0 in the output array.

    Parameters
    ----------
    a : ndarray
       array to cast
    required_dtype : dtype
       datatype for output array

    Returns
    -------
    out : ndarray
        array with the new dtype, with field values copied from the fields in
        the input array with the same name

    Examples
    --------

    >>> from numpy.lib import recfunctions as rfn
    >>> a = np.ones(4, dtype=[('a', 'i4'), ('b', 'f8'), ('c', 'u1')])
    >>> rfn.require_fields(a, [('b', 'f4'), ('c', 'u1')])
    array([(1., 1), (1., 1), (1., 1), (1., 1)],
      dtype=[('b', '>> rfn.require_fields(a, [('b', 'f4'), ('newf', 'u1')])
    array([(1., 0), (1., 0), (1., 0), (1., 0)],
      dtype=[('b', '>> 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', np.double), ('C', np.double)])
    >>> test = rfn.stack_arrays((z,zz))
    >>> test
    masked_array(data=[(b'A', 1.0, --), (b'B', 2.0, --), (b'a', 10.0, 100.0),
                       (b'b', 20.0, 200.0), (b'c', 30.0, 300.0)],
                 mask=[(False, False,  True), (False, False,  True),
                       (False, False, False), (False, False, False),
                       (False, False, False)],
           fill_value=(b'N/A', 1.e+20, 1.e+20),
                dtype=[('A', 'S3'), ('B', ' '%s'" %
                                    (cdtype, fdtype))
    # 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_dispatcher(
        a, key=None, ignoremask=None, return_index=None):
    return (a,)


@array_function_dispatch(_find_duplicates_dispatcher)
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)
    (masked_array(data=[(1,), (1,), (2,), (2,)],
                 mask=[(False,), (False,), (False,), (False,)],
           fill_value=(999999,),
                dtype=[('a', '= 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 = _get_fieldspec(r1k.dtype)

    # Add the fields from r1
    for fname, fdtype in _get_fieldspec(r1.dtype):
        if fname not in key:
            ndtype.append((fname, fdtype))

    # Add the fields from r2
    for fname, fdtype in _get_fieldspec(r2.dtype):
        # Have we seen the current name already ?
        # we need to rebuild this list every time
        names = list(name for name, dtype in ndtype)
        try:
            nameidx = names.index(fname)
        except ValueError:
            #... we haven't: just add the description to the current list
            ndtype.append((fname, fdtype))
        else:
            # collision
            _, cdtype = ndtype[nameidx]
            if fname in key:
                # The current field is part of the key: take the largest dtype
                ndtype[nameidx] = (fname, max(fdtype, cdtype))
            else:
                # The current field is not part of the key: add the suffixes,
                # and place the new field adjacent to the old one
                ndtype[nameidx:nameidx + 1] = [
                    (fname + r1postfix, cdtype),
                    (fname + r2postfix, fdtype)
                ]
    # Rebuild a dtype from the new fields
    ndtype = np.dtype(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_dispatcher(
        key, r1, r2, jointype=None, r1postfix=None, r2postfix=None,
        defaults=None):
    return (r1, r2)


@array_function_dispatch(_rec_join_dispatcher)
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)