From b3f34bd95d0bdd357dfcb8a34174ef5f1301af05 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Luc Grosheintz <luc.grosheintz@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 May 2024 12:28:49 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] No constexpr rank via constexpr min-max rank. (#938)

The commit removes the requirement for a constexpr rank. Instead
containers need a minimum and maximum constexpr rank.

The difficulties are:

  * Empty arrays can't figure out their runtime rank. This is an issue
    when deducing the dimension when writing to disk. The "solution" is
    to deduce with lowest rank possible.
---
 include/highfive/bits/H5Attribute_misc.hpp    | 15 ++--
 include/highfive/bits/H5DataType_misc.hpp     |  6 +-
 include/highfive/bits/H5Dataspace_misc.hpp    |  7 +-
 include/highfive/bits/H5Inspector_misc.hpp    | 84 ++++++++++++++-----
 include/highfive/bits/H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp    | 27 +++++-
 include/highfive/bits/H5Slice_traits_misc.hpp | 13 +--
 include/highfive/boost.hpp                    | 30 +++++--
 include/highfive/eigen.hpp                    |  9 +-
 include/highfive/span.hpp                     | 17 +++-
 tests/unit/data_generator.hpp                 |  9 +-
 10 files changed, 163 insertions(+), 54 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5Attribute_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5Attribute_misc.hpp
index d339af1f1..7ad38699a 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5Attribute_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5Attribute_misc.hpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "../H5DataSpace.hpp"
 #include "H5Converter_misc.hpp"
+#include "H5Inspector_misc.hpp"
 #include "H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp"
 #include "H5Utils.hpp"
 #include "h5a_wrapper.hpp"
@@ -73,10 +74,11 @@ inline void Attribute::read(T& array) const {
         [this]() -> std::string { return this->getName(); },
         details::BufferInfo<T>::Operation::read);
 
-    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.n_dimensions)) {
+    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.getMinRank(), buffer_info.getMaxRank())) {
         std::ostringstream ss;
-        ss << "Impossible to read Attribute of dimensions " << mem_space.getNumberDimensions()
-           << " into arrays of dimensions " << buffer_info.n_dimensions;
+        ss << "Impossible to read attribute of dimensions " << mem_space.getNumberDimensions()
+           << " into arrays of dimensions: " << buffer_info.getMinRank() << "(min) to "
+           << buffer_info.getMaxRank() << "(max)";
         throw DataSpaceException(ss.str());
     }
     auto dims = mem_space.getDimensions();
@@ -137,10 +139,11 @@ inline void Attribute::write(const T& buffer) {
         [this]() -> std::string { return this->getName(); },
         details::BufferInfo<T>::Operation::write);
 
-    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.n_dimensions)) {
+    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.getMinRank(), buffer_info.getMaxRank())) {
         std::ostringstream ss;
-        ss << "Impossible to write buffer of dimensions " << buffer_info.n_dimensions
-           << " into dataset of dimensions " << mem_space.getNumberDimensions();
+        ss << "Impossible to write attribute of dimensions " << mem_space.getNumberDimensions()
+           << " into arrays of dimensions: " << buffer_info.getMinRank() << "(min) to "
+           << buffer_info.getMaxRank() << "(max)";
         throw DataSpaceException(ss.str());
     }
     auto w = details::data_converter::serialize<T>(buffer, dims, file_datatype);
diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5DataType_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5DataType_misc.hpp
index 4321a4658..797702188 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5DataType_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5DataType_misc.hpp
@@ -226,9 +226,9 @@ inline EnumType<details::Boolean> create_enum_boolean() {
 // Other cases not supported. Fail early with a user message
 template <typename T>
 AtomicType<T>::AtomicType() {
-    static_assert(details::inspector<T>::recursive_ndim == 0,
-                  "Atomic types cant be arrays, except for char[] (fixed-length strings)");
-    static_assert(details::inspector<T>::recursive_ndim > 0, "Type not supported");
+    static_assert(
+        true,
+        "Missing specialization of AtomicType<T>. Therefore, type T is not supported by HighFive.");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5Dataspace_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5Dataspace_misc.hpp
index ceae1e531..4382c14c1 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5Dataspace_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5Dataspace_misc.hpp
@@ -131,9 +131,10 @@ inline DataSpace DataSpace::FromCharArrayStrings(const char (&)[N][Width]) {
 
 namespace details {
 
-/// dimension checks @internal
-inline bool checkDimensions(const DataSpace& mem_space, size_t n_dim_requested) {
-    return checkDimensions(mem_space.getDimensions(), n_dim_requested);
+inline bool checkDimensions(const DataSpace& mem_space,
+                            size_t min_dim_requested,
+                            size_t max_dim_requested) {
+    return checkDimensions(mem_space.getDimensions(), min_dim_requested, max_dim_requested);
 }
 
 }  // namespace details
diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5Inspector_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5Inspector_misc.hpp
index efb2343da..59bf85422 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5Inspector_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5Inspector_misc.hpp
@@ -27,15 +27,18 @@
 namespace HighFive {
 namespace details {
 
-inline bool checkDimensions(const std::vector<size_t>& dims, size_t n_dim_requested) {
-    if (dims.size() == n_dim_requested) {
+inline bool checkDimensions(const std::vector<size_t>& dims,
+                            size_t min_dim_requested,
+                            size_t max_dim_requested) {
+    if (min_dim_requested <= dims.size() && dims.size() <= max_dim_requested) {
         return true;
     }
 
+
     // Scalar values still support broadcasting
     // into arrays with one element.
     size_t n_elements = compute_total_size(dims);
-    return n_elements == 1 && n_dim_requested == 0;
+    return n_elements == 1 && min_dim_requested == 0;
 }
 
 }  // namespace details
@@ -49,8 +52,6 @@ inspector<T> {
     // hdf5_type is the base read by hdf5 (c-type) (e.g. std::vector<std::string> => const char*)
     using hdf5_type
 
-    // Number of dimensions starting from here
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim
     // Is the inner type trivially copyable for optimisation
     // If this value is true: data() is mandatory
     // If this value is false: serialize, unserialize are mandatory
@@ -88,10 +89,16 @@ struct type_helper {
     using hdf5_type = base_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 0;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<type>::value;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = is_trivially_copyable;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& /* val */) {
+        return ndim;
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& /* val */) {
         return {};
     }
@@ -216,17 +223,27 @@ struct inspector<std::vector<T>> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        if (!val.empty()) {
+            return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val[0]);
+        } else {
+            return min_ndim;
+        }
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
-        std::vector<size_t> sizes(recursive_ndim, 1ul);
+        auto rank = getRank(val);
+        std::vector<size_t> sizes(rank, 1ul);
         sizes[0] = val.size();
         if (!val.empty()) {
             auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
-            assert(s.size() + ndim == sizes.size());
             for (size_t i = 0; i < s.size(); ++i) {
                 sizes[i + ndim] = s[i];
             }
@@ -280,10 +297,16 @@ struct inspector<std::vector<bool>> {
     using hdf5_type = uint8_t;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = false;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& /* val */) {
+        return ndim;
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
         std::vector<size_t> sizes{val.size()};
         return sizes;
@@ -327,18 +350,22 @@ struct inspector<std::array<T, N>> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = (sizeof(type) == N * sizeof(T)) &&
                                                   is_trivially_copyable;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val[0]);
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
         std::vector<size_t> sizes{N};
-        if (!val.empty()) {
-            auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
-            sizes.insert(sizes.end(), s.begin(), s.end());
-        }
+        auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
+        sizes.insert(sizes.end(), s.begin(), s.end());
         return sizes;
     }
 
@@ -399,11 +426,21 @@ struct inspector<T*> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        if (val != nullptr) {
+            return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val[0]);
+        } else {
+            return min_ndim;
+        }
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& /* val */) {
         throw DataSpaceException("Not possible to have size of a T*");
     }
@@ -430,7 +467,9 @@ struct inspector<T[N]> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = is_trivially_copyable;
@@ -450,12 +489,14 @@ struct inspector<T[N]> {
         }
     }
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val[0]);
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
         std::vector<size_t> sizes{N};
-        if (N > 0) {
-            auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
-            sizes.insert(sizes.end(), s.begin(), s.end());
-        }
+        auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
+        sizes.insert(sizes.end(), s.begin(), s.end());
         return sizes;
     }
 
@@ -478,5 +519,6 @@ struct inspector<T[N]> {
     }
 };
 
+
 }  // namespace details
 }  // namespace HighFive
diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp
index 05bb49888..e5c862bc5 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5ReadWrite_misc.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <H5Tpublic.h>
+#include "H5Inspector_misc.hpp"
 #include "H5Utils.hpp"
 
 namespace HighFive {
@@ -57,10 +58,14 @@ struct BufferInfo {
     template <class F>
     BufferInfo(const DataType& dtype, F getName, Operation _op);
 
+    size_t getRank(const T& array) const;
+    size_t getMinRank() const;
+    size_t getMaxRank() const;
+
     // member data for info depending on the destination dataset type
     const bool is_fixed_len_string;
-    const size_t n_dimensions;
     const DataType data_type;
+    const size_t rank_correction;
 };
 
 // details implementation
@@ -135,10 +140,9 @@ BufferInfo<T>::BufferInfo(const DataType& file_data_type, F getName, Operation _
     : op(_op)
     , is_fixed_len_string(file_data_type.isFixedLenStr())
     // In case we are using Fixed-len strings we need to subtract one dimension
-    , n_dimensions(details::inspector<type_no_const>::recursive_ndim -
-                   ((is_fixed_len_string && is_char_array) ? 1 : 0))
     , data_type(string_type_checker<char_array_t>::getDataType(create_datatype<elem_type>(),
-                                                               file_data_type)) {
+                                                               file_data_type))
+    , rank_correction((is_fixed_len_string && is_char_array) ? 1 : 0) {
     // We warn. In case they are really not convertible an exception will rise on read/write
     if (file_data_type.getClass() != data_type.getClass()) {
         HIGHFIVE_LOG_WARN(getName() + "\": data and hdf5 dataset have different types: " +
@@ -157,6 +161,21 @@ BufferInfo<T>::BufferInfo(const DataType& file_data_type, F getName, Operation _
     }
 }
 
+template <typename T>
+size_t BufferInfo<T>::getRank(const T& array) const {
+    return details::inspector<type_no_const>::getRank(array) - rank_correction;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+size_t BufferInfo<T>::getMinRank() const {
+    return details::inspector<T>::min_ndim - rank_correction;
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+size_t BufferInfo<T>::getMaxRank() const {
+    return details::inspector<T>::max_ndim - rank_correction;
+}
+
 }  // namespace details
 
 }  // namespace HighFive
diff --git a/include/highfive/bits/H5Slice_traits_misc.hpp b/include/highfive/bits/H5Slice_traits_misc.hpp
index bf3f789eb..711d57ac2 100644
--- a/include/highfive/bits/H5Slice_traits_misc.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/bits/H5Slice_traits_misc.hpp
@@ -180,10 +180,11 @@ inline void SliceTraits<Derivate>::read(T& array, const DataTransferProps& xfer_
         [&slice]() -> std::string { return details::get_dataset(slice).getPath(); },
         details::BufferInfo<T>::Operation::read);
 
-    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.n_dimensions)) {
+    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.getMinRank(), buffer_info.getMaxRank())) {
         std::ostringstream ss;
         ss << "Impossible to read DataSet of dimensions " << mem_space.getNumberDimensions()
-           << " into arrays of dimensions " << buffer_info.n_dimensions;
+           << " into arrays of dimensions: " << buffer_info.getMinRank() << "(min) to "
+           << buffer_info.getMaxRank() << "(max)";
         throw DataSpaceException(ss.str());
     }
     auto dims = mem_space.getDimensions();
@@ -254,11 +255,11 @@ inline void SliceTraits<Derivate>::write(const T& buffer, const DataTransferProp
         [&slice]() -> std::string { return details::get_dataset(slice).getPath(); },
         details::BufferInfo<T>::Operation::write);
 
-    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.n_dimensions)) {
+    if (!details::checkDimensions(mem_space, buffer_info.getMinRank(), buffer_info.getMaxRank())) {
         std::ostringstream ss;
-        ss << "Impossible to write buffer of dimensions "
-           << details::format_vector(mem_space.getDimensions())
-           << " into dataset with n = " << buffer_info.n_dimensions << " dimensions.";
+        ss << "Impossible to write buffer with dimensions n = " << buffer_info.getRank(buffer)
+           << "into dataset with dimensions " << details::format_vector(mem_space.getDimensions())
+           << ".";
         throw DataSpaceException(ss.str());
     }
     auto w = details::data_converter::serialize<T>(buffer, dims, file_datatype);
diff --git a/include/highfive/boost.hpp b/include/highfive/boost.hpp
index 3e42a5b60..33c1458df 100644
--- a/include/highfive/boost.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/boost.hpp
@@ -17,19 +17,31 @@ struct inspector<boost::multi_array<T, Dims>> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = Dims;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val.data()[0]);
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
-        std::vector<size_t> sizes;
+        auto rank = getRank(val);
+        std::vector<size_t> sizes(rank, 1ul);
         for (size_t i = 0; i < ndim; ++i) {
-            sizes.push_back(val.shape()[i]);
+            sizes[i] = val.shape()[i];
+        }
+        if (val.size() != 0) {
+            auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val.data()[0]);
+            sizes.resize(ndim + s.size());
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < s.size(); ++i) {
+                sizes[ndim + i] = s[i];
+            }
         }
-        auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val.data()[0]);
-        sizes.insert(sizes.end(), s.begin(), s.end());
         return sizes;
     }
 
@@ -101,11 +113,17 @@ struct inspector<boost::numeric::ublas::matrix<T>> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 2;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_copyable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val(0, 0));
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
         std::vector<size_t> sizes{val.size1(), val.size2()};
         auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val(0, 0));
diff --git a/include/highfive/eigen.hpp b/include/highfive/eigen.hpp
index 4a0b293fd..462769e4b 100644
--- a/include/highfive/eigen.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/eigen.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct eigen_inspector {
     using base_type = typename inspector<value_type>::base_type;
     using hdf5_type = base_type;
 
+
     static_assert(int(EigenType::ColsAtCompileTime) == int(EigenType::MaxColsAtCompileTime),
                   "Padding isn't supported.");
     static_assert(int(EigenType::RowsAtCompileTime) == int(EigenType::MaxRowsAtCompileTime),
@@ -26,13 +27,19 @@ struct eigen_inspector {
                EigenType::IsRowMajor;
     }
 
+
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 2;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = is_row_major() &&
                                                   std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val.data()[0]);
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
         std::vector<size_t> sizes{static_cast<size_t>(val.rows()), static_cast<size_t>(val.cols())};
         auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val.data()[0]);
diff --git a/include/highfive/span.hpp b/include/highfive/span.hpp
index 1eca4a51b..ab53319ee 100644
--- a/include/highfive/span.hpp
+++ b/include/highfive/span.hpp
@@ -25,14 +25,25 @@ struct inspector<std::span<T, Extent>> {
     using hdf5_type = typename inspector<value_type>::hdf5_type;
 
     static constexpr size_t ndim = 1;
-    static constexpr size_t recursive_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::recursive_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t min_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::min_ndim;
+    static constexpr size_t max_ndim = ndim + inspector<value_type>::max_ndim;
+
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_copyable = std::is_trivially_copyable<value_type>::value &&
                                                   inspector<value_type>::is_trivially_nestable;
-
     static constexpr bool is_trivially_nestable = false;
 
+
+    static size_t getRank(const type& val) {
+        if (!val.empty()) {
+            return ndim + inspector<value_type>::getRank(val[0]);
+        } else {
+            return min_ndim;
+        }
+    }
+
     static std::vector<size_t> getDimensions(const type& val) {
-        std::vector<size_t> sizes(recursive_ndim, 1ul);
+        auto rank = getRank(val);
+        std::vector<size_t> sizes(rank, 1ul);
         sizes[0] = val.size();
         if (!val.empty()) {
             auto s = inspector<value_type>::getDimensions(val[0]);
diff --git a/tests/unit/data_generator.hpp b/tests/unit/data_generator.hpp
index 5b1f095ca..a50284d5c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/data_generator.hpp
+++ b/tests/unit/data_generator.hpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ struct ScalarContainerTraits {
     using base_type = T;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = false;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = 0;
 
     static void set(container_type& array, std::vector<size_t> /* indices */, base_type value) {
         array = value;
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ struct ContainerTraits<std::vector<bool>> {
     using base_type = bool;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = false;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = 1;
 
     static void set(container_type& array,
                     const std::vector<size_t>& indices,
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ struct STLLikeContainerTraits {
     using base_type = typename ContainerTraits<value_type>::base_type;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = ContainerTraits<value_type>::is_view;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = 1 + ContainerTraits<value_type>::rank;
 
     static void set(container_type& array,
                     const std::vector<size_t>& indices,
@@ -281,6 +284,7 @@ struct ContainerTraits<boost::multi_array<T, n>> {
     using base_type = typename ContainerTraits<value_type>::base_type;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = ContainerTraits<value_type>::is_view;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = n + ContainerTraits<value_type>::rank;
 
     static void set(container_type& array,
                     const std::vector<size_t>& indices,
@@ -333,6 +337,7 @@ struct ContainerTraits<boost::numeric::ublas::matrix<T>> {
     using base_type = typename ContainerTraits<value_type>::base_type;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = ContainerTraits<value_type>::is_view;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = 2 + ContainerTraits<value_type>::rank;
 
     static void set(container_type& array,
                     const std::vector<size_t>& indices,
@@ -392,6 +397,7 @@ struct EigenContainerTraits {
     using base_type = typename ContainerTraits<value_type>::base_type;
 
     static constexpr bool is_view = ContainerTraits<value_type>::is_view;
+    static constexpr size_t rank = 2 + ContainerTraits<value_type>::rank;
 
     static void set(container_type& array,
                     const std::vector<size_t>& indices,
@@ -629,11 +635,12 @@ struct MultiDimVector<T, 0> {
 template <class Container>
 class DataGenerator {
   public:
-    constexpr static size_t rank = details::inspector<Container>::recursive_ndim;
     using traits = ContainerTraits<Container>;
     using base_type = typename traits::base_type;
     using container_type = Container;
 
+    constexpr static size_t rank = traits::rank;
+
   public:
     static container_type allocate(const std::vector<size_t>& dims) {
         return traits::allocate(dims);