# Unary > Multiple dispatch for unary mathematical functions.
## Usage ```javascript var dispatch = require( '@stdlib/math/tools/unary' ); ``` #### dispatch( table ) Returns a function which dispatches to specified functions based on input argument types. ```javascript var nabs = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/abs' ); var dabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/dabs' ); var sabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/sabs' ); var gabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/abs' ); var table = { 'scalar': [ 'number', nabs ], 'array': [ 'float64', dabs, 'float32', sabs, 'generic', gabs ], 'ndarray': [ 'float64', dabs.ndarray, 'float32', sabs.ndarray, 'generic', gabs.ndarray ] }; var abs = dispatch( table ); ``` The function accepts the following arguments: - **table**: resolution table object which maps input argument types to corresponding implementations. A `table` resolution object may contain one or more of the following fields: - **scalar**: strided look-up table for scalar arguments. Implementation functions must accept a single input argument: a scalar value. Supported data types: `'number'` and `'complex'`. - **array**: strided look-up table for array-like object arguments. Implementation functions must follow strided array interface argument conventions: ```text fcn( N, x, strideX, y, strideY ) ``` where - **N**: number of indexed elements. - **x**: input strided array. - **strideX**: index increment for `x`. - **y**: destination strided array. - **strideY**: index increment for `y`. Supported array data types consist of all supported [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] data types. - **ndarray**: strided look-up table for [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] arguments. Implementation functions must follow strided array ndarray interface argument conventions: ```text fcn( N, x, strideX, offsetX, y, strideY, offsetY ) ``` where - **N**: number of indexed elements. - **x**: input strided array (i.e., underlying input [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] buffer). - **strideX**: index increment for `x`. - **offsetX**: starting index for `x`. - **y**: destination strided array (i.e., underlying output [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] buffer). - **strideY**: index increment for `y`. - **offsetY**: starting index for `y`. Supported data types consist of all supported [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] data types. Each strided look-up table should be comprised as follows: ```text [ , , , , ... ] ``` If an argument's data type is **not** found in the argument's corresponding look-up table and if a `'generic'` data type is present in that same table, the returned dispatch function will resolve the "generic" implementation. In other words, an implementation associated with a `'generic'` data type will be treated as the default implementation. If unable to resolve an implementation for a provided argument data type, the returned function throws an error. * * * #### dispatcher( x ) Dispatches to an underlying implementation based the data type of `x`. ```javascript var nabs = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/abs' ); var dabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/dabs' ); var sabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/sabs' ); var gabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/abs' ); var table = { 'scalar': [ 'number', nabs ], 'array': [ 'float64', dabs, 'float32', sabs, 'generic', gabs ], 'ndarray': [ 'float64', dabs.ndarray, 'float32', sabs.ndarray, 'generic', gabs.ndarray ] }; var abs = dispatch( table ); var y = abs( -1.0 ); // returns 1.0 ``` The returned dispatch function accepts the following arguments: - **x**: input [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor], array-like object, or number. If provided an [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] or array-like object, the function performs element-wise computation. If provided an [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor], the function returns an [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] having the same shape and data type as `x`. ```javascript var dabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/dabs' ); var sabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/sabs' ); var gabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/abs' ); var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray/array' ); var table = { 'ndarray': [ 'float64', dabs.ndarray, 'float32', sabs.ndarray, 'generic', gabs.ndarray ] }; var abs = dispatch( table ); var x = array( [ [ -1.0, -2.0 ], [ -3.0, -4.0 ] ] ); // 2x2 var y = abs( x ); // returns var v = y.get( 0, 1 ); // returns 2.0 ``` If provided an array-like object, the function returns an array-like object having the same length and data type as `x`. ```javascript var dabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/dabs' ); var sabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/sabs' ); var gabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/abs' ); var Float64Array = require( '@stdlib/array/float64' ); var table = { 'array': [ 'float64', dabs, 'float32', sabs, 'generic', gabs ] }; var abs = dispatch( table ); var x = new Float64Array( [ -1.0, -2.0 ] ); var y = abs( x ); // returns [ 1.0, 2.0 ] ```
* * *
## Examples ```javascript var nabs = require( '@stdlib/math/base/special/abs' ); var dabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/dabs' ); var sabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/sabs' ); var gabs = require( '@stdlib/math/strided/special/abs' ); var Float64Array = require( '@stdlib/array/float64' ); var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray/array' ); var ind2sub = require( '@stdlib/ndarray/ind2sub' ); var dispatch = require( '@stdlib/math/tools/unary' ); var table; var sub; var abs; var sh; var x; var y; var i; // Define a table for resolving unary functions based on argument data types: table = { 'scalar': [ 'number', nabs ], 'array': [ 'float64', dabs, 'float32', sabs, 'generic', gabs ], 'ndarray': [ 'float64', dabs.ndarray, 'float32', sabs.ndarray, 'generic', gabs.ndarray ] }; // Create a function which dispatches based on argument data types: abs = dispatch( table ); // Provide a number... y = abs( -1.0 ); console.log( 'x = %d => abs(x) = %d', -1.0, y ); // Provide an array-like object... x = new Float64Array( [ -1.0, -2.0, -3.0 ] ); y = abs( x ); for ( i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { console.log( 'x_%d = %d => abs(x_%d) = %d', i, x[ i ], i, y[ i ] ); } // Provide an ndarray... x = array( [ [ -1.0, -2.0 ], [ -3.0, -4.0 ] ] ); sh = x.shape; y = abs( x ); for ( i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { sub = ind2sub( sh, i ); console.log( 'x_%d%d = %d => abs(x_%d%d) = %d', sub[ 0 ], sub[ 1 ], x.iget( i ), sub[ 0 ], sub[ 1 ], y.iget( i ) ); } ```