Union function - Passing argument in custom function - Google-spreadsheet - google-docs

Question

While trying to answer
this question, I found a strange behavior.
Here's my code :
function remove(val, array){
var res = new Array();
for(var i=0; i<array.length; i++){
if(array[i] != val){
res.push(array[i]);
}
}
return res;
}
//we assume that there is no duplicates values inside array1 and array2
function my_union(array1, array2){
var longuer;
var shorter;
var arrayRes = new Array();
if(array1.length < array2.length){
longuer = array2;
shorter = array1;
} else {
longuer = array1;
shorter = array2;
}
for(var i=0; i<longuer.length; i++){
arrayRes.push(longuer[i]);
shorter = remove(longuer[i], shorter);
}
for(var i=0; i<shorter.length; i++){
arrayRes.push(shorter[i]);
}
return arrayRes;
}
function test(){
Browser.msgBox(my_union([1,2,3], [1,2]));
}
The message box clearly says 1,2,3 but when you try to invoke this function inside a spreadsheet with the same values, it fails to delete duplicated values, why ?
**EDIT : **
Thanks to Henrique's answer , here's the code :
function remove(val, array){
var res = new Array();
for(var i=0; i<array.length; i++){
if(array[i] != val){
res.push(array[i]);
}
}
return res;
}
function matFlattener(matrix){
var array = new Array();
for(var i=0; i<matrix.length; i++){
for(var j=0; j<matrix[i].length; j++){
array.push(matrix[i][j]);
}
}
return array;
}
function my_union(matrix1, matrix2){
//assert no duplicate values in matrix1 and matrix2
var longuer;
var shorter;
var array1 = matFlattener(matrix1);
var array2 = matFlattener(matrix2);
var arrayRes = new Array();
if(array1.length < array2.length){
longuer = array2;
shorter = array1;
} else {
longuer = array1;
shorter = array2;
}
for(var i=0; i<longuer.length; i++){
arrayRes.push([longuer[i]]);
shorter = remove(longuer[i], shorter);
}
for(var i=0; i<shorter.length; i++){
arrayRes.push([shorter[i]]);
}
return arrayRes;
}

Answer 1

When you call the custom function from the spreadsheet and pass a multi-range parameter, this parameter will always be a matrix, regardless if you pass a single row or column.
To test the behavior like the spreadsheet does, you should change your test function like this:
function test() {
//note the "extra" brackets
Browser.msgBox(my_union([[1,2,3]],[[1,2]]); //passing "single" rows
Browser.msgBox(my_union([[1],[2],[3]],[[1],[2]]); //passing "single" columns
}
The solution is adjust your my_union formula to account for it.