1 files changed, 78 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/numpy/lib/recfunctions.py b/numpy/lib/recfunctions.py
index c455bd93f..b6453d5a2 100644
--- a/numpy/lib/recfunctions.py
+++ b/numpy/lib/recfunctions.py
@@ -732,6 +732,84 @@ def rec_append_fields(base, names, data, dtypes=None):
     return append_fields(base, names, data=data, dtypes=dtypes,
                          asrecarray=True, usemask=False)
 
+def repack_fields(a, align=False, recurse=False):
+    """
+    Re-pack the fields of a structured array or dtype in memory.
+
+    The memory layout of structured datatypes allows fields at arbitrary
+    byte offsets. This means the fields can be separated by padding bytes,
+    their offsets can be non-monotonically increasing, and they can overlap.
+
+    This method removes any overlaps and reorders the fields in memory so they
+    have increasing byte offsets, and adds or removes padding bytes depending
+    on the `align` option, which behaves like the `align` option to `np.dtype`.
+
+    If `align=False`, this method produces a "packed" memory layout in which
+    each field starts at the byte the previous field ended, and any padding
+    bytes are removed.
+
+    If `align=True`, this methods produces an "aligned" memory layout in which
+    each field's offset is a multiple of its alignment, and the total itemsize
+    is a multiple of the largest alignment, by adding padding bytes as needed.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    a : ndarray or dtype
+       array or dtype for which to repack the fields.
+    align : boolean
+       If true, use an "aligned" memory layout, otherwise use a "packed" layout.
+    recurse : boolean
+       If True, also repack nested structures.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    repacked : ndarray or dtype
+       Copy of `a` with fields repacked, or `a` itself if no repacking was
+       needed.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+
+    >>> def print_offsets(d):
+    ...     print("offsets:", [d.fields[name][1] for name in d.names])
+    ...     print("itemsize:", d.itemsize)
+    ...
+    >>> dt = np.dtype('u1,i4,f4', align=True)
+    >>> dt
+    dtype({'names':['f0','f1','f2'], 'formats':['u1','<i4','<f8'], 'offsets':[0,4,8], 'itemsize':16}, align=True)
+    >>> print_offsets(dt)
+    offsets: [0, 4, 8]
+    itemsize: 16
+    >>> packed_dt = repack_fields(dt)
+    >>> packed_dt
+    dtype([('f0', 'u1'), ('f1', '<i4'), ('f2', '<f8')])
+    >>> print_offsets(packed_dt)
+    offsets: [0, 1, 5]
+    itemsize: 13
+
+    """
+    if not isinstance(a, np.dtype):
+        dt = repack_fields(a.dtype, align=align, recurse=recurse)
+        return a.astype(dt, copy=False)
+
+    if a.names is None:
+        return a
+
+    fieldinfo = []
+    for name in a.names:
+        tup = a.fields[name]
+        if recurse:
+            fmt = repack_fields(tup[0], align=align, recurse=True)
+        else:
+            fmt = tup[0]
+
+        if len(tup) == 3:
+            name = (tup[2], name)
+
+        fieldinfo.append((name, fmt))
+
+    dt = np.dtype(fieldinfo, align=align)
+    return np.dtype((a.type, dt))
 
 def stack_arrays(arrays, defaults=None, usemask=True, asrecarray=False,
                  autoconvert=False):