[SciPy-user] Table like array

[Michael Sorich]

Hi,

I am looking for a table like array. Something like a 'data frame' object to
those familiar with the statistical languages R and Splus. This is mainly to
hold and manipulate 2D spreadsheet like data, which tends to be of
relatively small size (compared to what many people seem to use numpy for),
heterogenous, have column and row names, and often contains missing data. A
RecArray seems potentially useful, as it allows different fields to have
different data types and holds the name of the field. However it doesn't
seem easy to manipulate the data. Or perhaps I am simply having difficulty
finding documentation on there features.
eg
adding a new column/field (and to a lesser extent a new row/record) to the
recarray
Changing the field/column names
make a new table by selecting a subset of fields/columns. (you can select a
single field/column, but not multiple).
merging tables (concatenate seems to allow a recarray to be added as new
rows but not columns)
It would also be nice for the table to be able to deal easily with masked
data (I have not tried this with recarray yet) and perhaps also to be able
to give the rows/records unique ids that could be used to select the
rows/records (in addition to the row/record index), in the same way that the
fieldnames can select the fields.

Can anyone comment on this issue? Particularly whether code exists for this
purpose, and if not ideas about how best to go about developing such a Table
like array (this would need to be limited to python programing as my ability
to program in c is very limited).

Thanks,

michael
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