add Core::tocomplex - #527

Changes

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 - add new_around_pointer (#505) - thanks @chrisarg for idea
 - add do_print to perldl to match pdl2
 - add {which,where}ND_both - thanks @guillepo for inspiration
+- add Core::tocomplex (#527) - thanks @wlmb for suggestion
 
 2.098 2025-01-03
 - fix Windows build problems

lib/PDL/Core.pm

@@ -666,6 +666,23 @@ below for usage).
  $y = topdl $ndarray;       # fall through
  $x = topdl (1,2,3,4);      # Convert 1D array
 
+=head2 tocomplex
+
+=for ref
+
+Return a complex-typed ndarray, either as a no-op or a conversion.
+
+  $cplx = $pdl->tocomplex;
+
+Not exported. Added in 2.099.
+
+=cut
+
+sub PDL::tocomplex {
+  my $pdl = PDL->topdl(@_);
+  $pdl->type->real ? $pdl->r2C : $pdl;
+}
+
 =head2 set_datatype
 
 =for ref

t/core.t

@@ -308,6 +308,11 @@ eval {PDL->topdl({})};
 isnt $@, '', 'topdl({}) no segfault';
 }
 
+is_pdl pdl(1)->tocomplex, cdouble(1), 'tocomplex';
+is_pdl cdouble(1)->tocomplex, cdouble(1), 'tocomplex already complex';
+is_pdl float(1)->tocomplex, cfloat(1), 'tocomplex float';
+is_pdl cfloat(1)->tocomplex, cfloat(1), 'tocomplex float already complex';
+
 # stringification
 {
 my $x = pdl( -3..2 ) + 1e7;