Numpy ValueError: setting an array element with a sequence. This message may appear without the existing of a sequence?

Question

Why do I get this error message? ValueError: setting an array element with a sequence. Thank you

Z=np.array([1.0,1.0,1.0,1.0])  

def func(TempLake,Z):
    A=TempLake
    B=Z
    return A*B

Nlayers=Z.size
N=3
TempLake=np.zeros((N+1,Nlayers))

kOUT=np.zeros(N+1)
for i in xrange(N):
    kOUT[i]=func(TempLake[i],Z)

Answer 1

You're getting the error message

ValueError: setting an array element with a sequence.

because you're trying to set an array element with a sequence. I'm not trying to be cute, there -- the error message is trying to tell you exactly what the problem is. Don't think of it as a cryptic error, it's simply a phrase. What line is giving the problem?

kOUT[i]=func(TempLake[i],Z)

This line tries to set the ith element of kOUT to whatever func(TempLAke[i], Z) returns. Looking at the i=0 case:

In [39]: kOUT[0]
Out[39]: 0.0

In [40]: func(TempLake[0], Z)
Out[40]: array([ 0.,  0.,  0.,  0.])

You're trying to load a 4-element array into kOUT[0] which only has a float. Hence, you're trying to set an array element (the left hand side, kOUT[i]) with a sequence (the right hand side, func(TempLake[i], Z)).

Probably func isn't doing what you want, but I'm not sure what you really wanted it to do (and don't forget you can usually use vectorized operations like A*B rather than looping in numpy.) That should explain the problem, anyway.