从函数返回am Eigen :: Tensor slice

Question

I would like to write functions that return slices of Eigen::Tensor. In the real code, getSlice() takes some integers and the extent and offset are calculated. I would like my functions to return a view into the array so that I can access the array for reading and writing without copying.

I can create a variable that is a slice of my array and alter the data. But when I return the same slice from a function the values are not altered. I am guessing that the function generates a new array as the return value. How do I return the slice I need? Or should I do this a different way?

#include <iostream>
#include <Eigen/Dense>
#include <unsupported/Eigen/CXX11/Tensor>

Eigen::Tensor<float,3> getSlice(Eigen::Tensor<float,3>& a,
                Eigen::array<long,3>& offset,
                Eigen::array<long,3>& extent)
{
   return a.slice(offset,extent);
}

int main()
{
   Eigen::Tensor<float,3> et = Eigen::Tensor<float,3>(3,5,4);
   et.setConstant(1.1);
   std::cout << et << std::endl;

   Eigen::array<long,3> offset = {0,0,0};
   Eigen::array<long,3> extent = {2,2,1};

   et.slice(offset,extent).setConstant(2.2);
   std::cout << "Set slice constant" << std::endl;
   std::cout << et << std::endl;

   auto sl = et.slice(offset,extent);
   sl.setConstant(3.3);
   std::cout << "Set slice constant from slice instance." << std::endl;
   std::cout << et << std::endl;

   getSlice(et,offset,extent).setConstant(4.4);
   std::cout << "Set slice constant from function." << std::endl;
   std::cout << et << std::endl;
}

Program output:

$ ./ta

1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1

Set slice constant

2.2 2.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 2.2 2.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1

Set slice constant from slice instance.

3.3 3.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 3.3 3.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1

Set slice constant from function.

3.3 3.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 3.3 3.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1

Answer 1

Your observation that your implementation of getSlice returns a new Tensor object (with a copy of the original data) is correct. In your case the simplest solution is to change the return type to auto (even though, you should generally be careful with auto and Eigen):

inline auto getSlice(Eigen::Tensor<float,3>& a,
                Eigen::array<long,3>& offset,
                Eigen::array<long,3>& extent)
{
   return a.slice(offset,extent);
}

Live-Demo: https://godbolt.org/z/tLWYUz