Character Source Ambiguity Gap Tool

Description

Summarize character-source ambiguity.

Systematic character records distinguish observed states, ambiguity, missing data and inapplicability. Marker tokens and key-couplet references encode a supplied scheme; checking a local row does not determine actual homology, a complete valid key or a phylogenetic result.

Summarize character-source ambiguity.

When to use this tool

Use Character Source Ambiguity Gap when checking the stated systematic-character or identification-key record convention.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter characterIds, sourceIds, states, missingState. Follow any array-alignment requirements below. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read characters, ambiguousCharacters, unsupportedCharacters. Use the output convention below.

Summarize character-source ambiguity. Require aligned IDs/sources/states; for each character, collect distinct nonmissing states with nonempty source IDs, count zero states as unsupported and multiple states as ambiguous.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
characterIds	Character Ids	Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256.
sourceIds	Source Ids	Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256.
states	States	Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256.
missingState	Missing State	Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
characters	Characters	Required. Safe integer.
ambiguousCharacters	Ambiguous Characters	Required. Safe integer.
unsupportedCharacters	Unsupported Characters	Required. Safe integer.

json

{
  "input": {
    "characterIds": [
      "a",
      "a",
      "b"
    ],
    "sourceIds": [
      "s1",
      "s2",
      ""
    ],
    "states": [
      "0",
      "1",
      "?"
    ],
    "missingState": "?"
  },
  "output": {
    "characters": 2,
    "ambiguousCharacters": 1,
    "unsupportedCharacters": 1
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Source strings are not authenticated and conflicting states are not adjudicated; this is record support rather than biological consensus.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Validate the complete character vocabulary, specimen observations and key graph; use an appropriate systematic or phylogenetic analysis for biological conclusions.

References

Calculation and input contract: biosystematics/character-source-ambiguity-gap — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Character State Ambiguity Count
Count ambiguous and missing encoded character-state sets.
Biosystematic Character State Ambiguity Mask
Return independent known, ambiguity and unknown markers.