[Haskell-cafe] Sorting a Repa Array

[Hans Georg Schaathun]

Hi,

I am trying to parallellise genetic algorithms using haskell,
but I get stuck at the stage where I need to sort the array of
chromosomes based on their fitness.

Using Repa, I am neither able to find a nice library implementation
to sort an array, nor can I figure out how to generate a new array
modifying only a few entries.

I am not at a stage where I need to optimise execution time.  It
is still at the stage of learning exercise, wrt both to genetic
algorithms, haskell, and splittable pseudo-random number generators.
Thus, I would be grateful for both naïve and clever suggestions :-)

Except for the sorting stage, the problem seems to well suited for
Repa, with a chain of operations which can be mapped on the array.
I am also planning to explore accelerate later for GPU work, and
Repa seems to be a better step on the way than most other alternatives.

My arrays are 1-D boxed arrays BTW.  The entries are tuples including
an Unboxed Vector (and a Double on which the sort order is defined).
Doing it as a 2-D Unboxed Array is further down on the agenda; I need
more practice before I get my head around using slices correctly.

So, any advice?  Whether it involves conversion to a data type where
a library sort routine is available, a library sort routine I have 
missed, or how to create new deferred arrays by updating selected
entries in the input array so that I can implement sorting myself.

TIA
-- 
:-- Hans Georg