# How to count the number of values in a discrete function?

I have a discrete function of an integer variable $n$ defined like this :

theta[n_] :=
{0.0902266, 0.0889051, 0.0869336, 0.0840726, 0.0838656,
0.0931356, 0.0958106, 0.0931356, 0.0838666, 0.0840726, 0.0869326,
-0.0889051, 0.0902266, 0.0911066, 0.0917297, 0.0922456, 0.0927188,
0.0930936, 0.0932416, 0.0930936, -0.0927186, 0.0922446, 0.0917296,
0.0911066, 0.0869336, 0.0911066, 0.0931356, 0.0869336, -0.0931356,
0.0911066, -0.0872142, 0.0872142, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.0872142,
0.0911066, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.00315, -0.00315}[[n]]


This function is defined so that I get these outputs :

theta[1] = 0.0902266
theta[2] = 0.0889051
...
theta[40] = -0.00315


I need to define a constant which is the total number of elements in the previous list. In the example above, there are $40$ elements inside the list, so that constant should be equal to $40$.

Apparently, I can't apply the command Lenght on the function above, in Mathematica. So how can I count the total number of outputs from that function ?

The reason I need this is that I may have to change the number of items inside that discrete function.

Any idea ?

You can take advantage of how the rules associated with theta are stored behind the scenes by doing

Length @ DownValues[theta][[1, 2, 1]]
(* 40 *)


This isn't robust, however. In the sense that if you have defined beforehand theta[10] = 5, for instance, then it won't find the right DownValue.

Alternatively, you can build the checking into the function:

Clear[theta, thetaHeld]
theta[n_?IntegerQ /; 1 <= n <= Length@thetaHeld[n][[1, 1]]] := ReleaseHold[thetaHeld[n]]
thetaHeld[n_] := Hold[
List[0.0902266, 0.0889051, 0.0869336, 0.0840726, 0.0838656
, 0.0931356, 0.0958106, 0.0931356, 0.0838666, 0.0840726
, 0.0869326, -0.0889051, 0.0902266, 0.0911066, 0.0917297
, 0.0922456,0.0927188, 0.0930936, 0.0932416, 0.0930936
, -0.0927186, 0.0922446, 0.0917296, 0.0911066, 0.0869336
, 0.0911066, 0.0931356, 0.0869336, -0.0931356, 0.0911066
, -0.0872142, 0.0872142, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.0872142
, 0.0911066, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.00315, -0.00315][[n]]]


This even works if the list has been defined before:

list = {0.0902266, 0.0889051, 0.0869336, 0.0840726, 0.0838656
, 0.0931356, 0.0958106, 0.0931356, 0.0838666, 0.0840726
, 0.0869326, -0.0889051, 0.0902266, 0.0911066, 0.0917297
, 0.0922456,0.0927188, 0.0930936, 0.0932416, 0.0930936
, -0.0927186, 0.0922446, 0.0917296, 0.0911066, 0.0869336
, 0.0911066, 0.0931356, 0.0869336, -0.0931356, 0.0911066
, -0.0872142, 0.0872142, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.0872142
, 0.0911066, 0.001, 0.0911066, 0.00315, -0.00315};

Clear[theta, thetaHeld]
theta[n_?IntegerQ /; 1 <= n <= Length@thetaHeld[n][[1, 1]]] := ReleaseHold[thetaHeld[n]]
thetaHeld[n_] := Hold[list[[n]]]


Then:

theta[4]
(* 0.0840726 *)


and

theta[41]
(* *)


Oh well, the solution to my problem is trivial. I simply have to change the definition of my theta function, like this :

Angles := {0.0902266, 0.0889051, 0.0869336, 0.0840726, 0.0838656, ...}

theta[n_] := Angles[[n]]


Then I can use the length command on the Angles :

Nangles = Length[Angles];