Description
Locate supplied missing and inapplicable character markers.
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.
Locate supplied missing and inapplicable character markers.
When to use this tool
Use Character State Unobserved Marker when checking the stated systematic-character or identification-key record convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter states, missingMarkers, inapplicableMarkers. 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 missingPositions, inapplicablePositions, conflictingMarkers. Use the output convention below.
Locate supplied missing and inapplicable character markers. Return matching positions for each vocabulary independently and distinct tokens appearing in both marker lists as conflictingMarkers.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| states | States | Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256. |
| missingMarkers | Missing Markers | Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256. |
| inapplicableMarkers | Inapplicable Markers | Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| missingPositions | Missing Positions | Required. Array of safe integer; maximum items 256. |
| inapplicablePositions | Inapplicable Positions | Required. Array of safe integer; maximum items 256. |
| conflictingMarkers | Tokens present in both missing and inapplicable marker sets; overlap is reported rather than rejected. | Required. Array of text; maximum UTF-16 length 8192; maximum items 256. |
{
"input": {
"states": [
"0",
"?",
"-"
],
"missingMarkers": [
"?"
],
"inapplicableMarkers": [
"-"
]
},
"output": {
"missingPositions": [
1
],
"inapplicablePositions": [
2
],
"conflictingMarkers": []
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- A position can appear in both lists when vocabularies conflict; no biological state, applicability or character-matrix validity is inferred.
- 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
Similar or alternative tools
- Character State Polymorphism Count
Count distinct nonmissing character-state tokens.
- Character State Ambiguity Count
Count ambiguous and missing encoded character-state sets.