Using "Cases" to find a tag in a list of data pairs, and replace a list with zeroes when the tag is not found

Question

I have a two-dimensional list of data pairs {x,y} where the first column in the pair sometimes contains a unique "tag". When this tag is found using Cases, the value in y is returned.

A sample of this data is given here:

    sample={{{0.057, 574}, {"CH4", 25831.9}, {"C2H6", 0.0231548},{"C2H2", 
   0.000066748}}, {{"CH4", 25722.}, {"C2H6", 0.023806}}, {{"CH4", 
   24290.8}, {"C2H6", 0.345365}, {"C2H4", 0.400931}, {2.122, 
   4391}, {"C2H2", 0.0964659}, {3.123, 16139}, {3.26, 67}, {5.219, 
   4116}, {5.629, 298}, {6.054, 251}, {7.109, 187}, {7.217, 
   33246}, {$Failed, 3870}, {8.605, 12177}}, {{"CH4", 
   24074.3}, {"C2H6", 0.34487}, {"C2H4", 0.388133}, {2.124, 
   5206}, {2.22, 1754}, {2.453, 219}, {"C2H2", 0.0903442}, {2.895, 
   545}, {3.124, 15727}, {3.396, 540}, {3.489, 125}, {5.222, 
   4186}, {5.634, 311}, {6.375, 21249}, {7.109, 108}, {7.22, 
   30703}, {7.654, 3772}, {8.612, 11314}, {9.677, 3225}}}

So, I want to apply a search using Cases, for example for "C2H4" in the first column and return the corresponding value in the second column.

My code to do this is:

list = Table[Cases[sample[[i]], {x_, y_} /; x == "C2H4" :> y ],{i,1,Length[sample]}]

However, this returns the list:

{{}, {}, {0.400931}, {0.388133}}

I would like to replace the first two blank elements of this list with zeroes, for preference, I would like to do this within the "Cases" function that I have defined.

I can't seem to make anything work. Any ideas...?

Cheers! :)

Answer 1

sample = {{{0.057, 574}, {"CH4", 25831.9}, {"C2H6", 
     0.0231548}, {"C2H2", 0.000066748}}, {{"CH4", 25722.}, {"C2H6", 
     0.023806}}, {{"CH4", 24290.8}, {"C2H6", 0.345365}, {"C2H4", 
     0.400931}, {2.122, 4391}, {"C2H2", 0.0964659}, {3.123, 
     16139}, {3.26, 67}, {5.219, 4116}, {5.629, 298}, {6.054, 
     251}, {7.109, 187}, {7.217, 33246}, {$Failed, 3870}, {8.605, 
     12177}}, {{"CH4", 24074.3}, {"C2H6", 0.34487}, {"C2H4", 
     0.388133}, {2.124, 5206}, {2.22, 1754}, {2.453, 219}, {"C2H2", 
     0.0903442}, {2.895, 545}, {3.124, 15727}, {3.396, 540}, {3.489, 
     125}, {5.222, 4186}, {5.634, 311}, {6.375, 21249}, {7.109, 
     108}, {7.22, 30703}, {7.654, 3772}, {8.612, 11314}, {9.677, 
     3225}}};
tags = DeleteDuplicates@Cases[sample, _String, {-1}]

{"CH4", "C2H6", "C2H2", "C2H4"}

If just zeros need to be where there are no instances of the tag

tagsearch1[tag_] := If[Count[#, {tag, _}] == 0, 0., Cases[#, {tag, y_} :> y]] & /@ sample
tagsearch2[tag_] := (Cases[{tag, y_} :> y] /@ sample) /. {} -> 0.

tagsearch1["C2H4"]
tagsearch2["C2H4"] == %

{0., 0., {0.400931}, {0.388133}}

True

If the output should be a full array (i.e. ArrayQ returns True or e.g. 1D, 2D, 3D, ...)

tagsearch3[tag_] := Join @@ (If[Count[#, {tag, _}] == 0, {0.}, Cases[#, {tag, y_} :> y]] & /@ sample)
tagsearch4[tag_] := Join @@ ((Cases[{tag, y_} :> y] /@ sample) /. {} -> {0.})
tagsearch5[tag_] := Replace[(Cases[{tag, y_} :> y] /@ sample) /. {} -> 0., List -> Sequence, {2}, Heads -> True]
f[tag_] := Fold[Insert[#1, 0., #2] &, Cases[sample, {tag, y_} :> y, {-2}], Position[Count[{tag, _}] /@ sample, 0]]
(*The idea behind f was to not do any replacements, aside from the one in Cases*)

tagsearch3["C2H4"]
tagsearch3["C2H4"] == tagsearch4["C2H4"] == tagsearch5["C2H4"] == f["C2H4"] == %

{0., 0., 0.400931, 0.388133}

True

And for a timing comparison

Block[{sample = Join @@ ConstantArray[sample, 10^4]}, {ToString@#, RepeatedTiming[# /@ tags][[1]]} & /@ {tagsearch1, tagsearch2, tagsearch3, tagsearch4, tagsearch5, f}]

(*{tagsearch1,0.778}
{tagsearch2,0.344}
{tagsearch3,0.763}
{tagsearch4,0.339}
{tagsearch5,0.371}
{f,1.6}*)

So, turns out Occam was right, a simple Join @@ ((Cases[{tag, y_} :> y] /@ sample) /. {} -> {0.}) is the best of these options, and it gives

tagsearch4 /@ tags

{{25831.9, 25722., 24290.8, 24074.3}, {0.0231548, 0.023806, 0.345365, 0.34487}, {0.000066748, 0., 0.0964659, 0.0903442}, {0., 0., 0.400931, 0.388133}}