ENH: interpolate.limit_area() 16284

doc/source/missing_data.rst

@@ -330,6 +330,10 @@ Interpolation
 
   The ``limit_direction`` keyword argument was added.
 
+.. versionadded:: 0.21.0
+
+  The ``limit_area`` keyword argument was added.
+
 Both Series and Dataframe objects have an ``interpolate`` method that, by default,
 performs linear interpolation at missing datapoints.
 
@@ -458,29 +462,48 @@ Interpolation Limits
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 Like other pandas fill methods, ``interpolate`` accepts a ``limit`` keyword
-argument. Use this argument to limit the number of consecutive interpolations,
-keeping ``NaN`` values for interpolations that are too far from the last valid
-observation:
+argument. Use this argument to limit the number of consecutive ``NaN`` values
+filled since the last valid observation:
 
 .. ipython:: python
 
-   ser = pd.Series([np.nan, np.nan, 5, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, 13])
-   ser.interpolate(limit=2)
+   ser = pd.Series([np.nan, np.nan, 5, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, 13, np.nan, np.nan])
 
-By default, ``limit`` applies in a forward direction, so that only ``NaN``
-values after a non-``NaN`` value can be filled. If you provide ``'backward'`` or
-``'both'`` for the ``limit_direction`` keyword argument, you can fill ``NaN``
-values before non-``NaN`` values, or both before and after non-``NaN`` values,
-respectively:
+   # fill all consecutive values in a forward direction
+   ser.interpolate()
 
-.. ipython:: python
+   # fill one consecutive value in a forward direction
+   ser.interpolate(limit=1)
 
-   ser.interpolate(limit=1)  # limit_direction == 'forward'
+By default, ``NaN`` values are filled in a ``forward`` direction. Use
+``limit_direction`` parameter to fill ``backward`` or from ``both`` directions.
 
+.. ipython:: python
+
+   # fill one consecutive value backwards
    ser.interpolate(limit=1, limit_direction='backward')
 
+   # fill one consecutive value in both directions
    ser.interpolate(limit=1, limit_direction='both')
 
+   # fill all consecutive values in both directions
+   ser.interpolate(limit_direction='both')
+
+By default, ``NaN`` values are filled whether they are inside (surrounded by)
+existing valid values, or outside existing valid values. Introduced in v0.21
+the ``limit_area`` parameter restricts filling to either inside or outside values.
+
+.. ipython:: python
+
+   # fill one consecutive inside value in both directions
+   ser.interpolate(limit=1, limit_area='inside', limit_direction='both')
+
+   # fill all consecutive outside values backward
+   ser.interpolate(limit_direction='backward', limit_area='outside')
+
+   # fill all consecutive outside values in both directions
+   ser.interpolate(limit_direction='both', limit_area='outside')
+
 .. _missing_data.replace:
 
 Replacing Generic Values

doc/source/whatsnew/v0.21.0.txt

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ New features
   <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0519/>`_ on most readers and writers (:issue:`13823`)
 - Added `__fspath__` method to :class`:pandas.HDFStore`, :class:`pandas.ExcelFile`,
   and :class:`pandas.ExcelWriter` to work properly with the file system path protocol (:issue:`13823`)
+- Added `limit_area` parameter to `DataFrame.interpolate()` method allowing further control of which NaNs are replaced (:issue:`16284`)
 
 .. _whatsnew_0210.enhancements.other:
 

pandas/core/generic.py

@@ -3883,10 +3883,13 @@ def replace(self, to_replace=None, value=None, inplace=False, limit=None,
         limit : int, default None.
             Maximum number of consecutive NaNs to fill. Must be greater than 0.
         limit_direction : {'forward', 'backward', 'both'}, default 'forward'
-            If limit is specified, consecutive NaNs will be filled in this
-            direction.
-
+            Consecutive NaNs will be filled in this direction.
             .. versionadded:: 0.17.0
+        limit_area : {'inside', 'outside'}, default None
+            * 'inside' Only fill NaNs surrounded by valid values (interpolate).
+            * 'outside' Only fill NaNs outside valid values (extrapolate).
+            * None: default fill inside and outside
+            .. versionadded:: 0.21.0
 
         inplace : bool, default False
             Update the NDFrame in place if possible.
@@ -3919,7 +3922,8 @@ def replace(self, to_replace=None, value=None, inplace=False, limit=None,
 
     @Appender(_shared_docs['interpolate'] % _shared_doc_kwargs)
     def interpolate(self, method='linear', axis=0, limit=None, inplace=False,
-                    limit_direction='forward', downcast=None, **kwargs):
+                    limit_direction='forward', limit_area=None,
+                    downcast=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Interpolate values according to different methods.
         """
@@ -3968,6 +3972,7 @@ def interpolate(self, method='linear', axis=0, limit=None, inplace=False,
         new_data = data.interpolate(method=method, axis=ax, index=index,
                                     values=_maybe_transposed_self, limit=limit,
                                     limit_direction=limit_direction,
+                                    limit_area=limit_area,
                                     inplace=inplace, downcast=downcast,
                                     **kwargs)
 

pandas/core/internals.py

@@ -907,8 +907,8 @@ def putmask(self, mask, new, align=True, inplace=False, axis=0,
 
     def interpolate(self, method='pad', axis=0, index=None, values=None,
                     inplace=False, limit=None, limit_direction='forward',
-                    fill_value=None, coerce=False, downcast=None, mgr=None,
-                    **kwargs):
+                    limit_area=None, fill_value=None, coerce=False,
+                    downcast=None, mgr=None, **kwargs):
 
         inplace = validate_bool_kwarg(inplace, 'inplace')
 
@@ -949,6 +949,7 @@ def check_int_bool(self, inplace):
             return self._interpolate(method=m, index=index, values=values,
                                      axis=axis, limit=limit,
                                      limit_direction=limit_direction,
+                                     limit_area=limit_area,
                                      fill_value=fill_value, inplace=inplace,
                                      downcast=downcast, mgr=mgr, **kwargs)
 
@@ -983,8 +984,8 @@ def _interpolate_with_fill(self, method='pad', axis=0, inplace=False,
 
     def _interpolate(self, method=None, index=None, values=None,
                      fill_value=None, axis=0, limit=None,
-                     limit_direction='forward', inplace=False, downcast=None,
-                     mgr=None, **kwargs):
+                     limit_direction='forward', limit_area=None,
+                     inplace=False, downcast=None, mgr=None, **kwargs):
         """ interpolate using scipy wrappers """
 
         inplace = validate_bool_kwarg(inplace, 'inplace')
@@ -1012,6 +1013,7 @@ def func(x):
             # i.e. not an arg to missing.interpolate_1d
             return missing.interpolate_1d(index, x, method=method, limit=limit,
                                           limit_direction=limit_direction,
+                                          limit_area=limit_area,
                                           fill_value=fill_value,
                                           bounds_error=False, **kwargs)
 

pandas/core/missing.py

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def clean_interp_method(method, **kwargs):
 
 
 def interpolate_1d(xvalues, yvalues, method='linear', limit=None,
-                   limit_direction='forward', fill_value=None,
+                   limit_direction='forward', limit_area=None, fill_value=None,
                    bounds_error=False, order=None, **kwargs):
     """
     Logic for the 1-d interpolation.  The result should be 1-d, inputs
@@ -155,28 +155,12 @@ def _interp_limit(invalid, fw_limit, bw_limit):
         raise ValueError('Invalid limit_direction: expecting one of %r, got '
                          '%r.' % (valid_limit_directions, limit_direction))
 
-    from pandas import Series
-    ys = Series(yvalues)
-    start_nans = set(range(ys.first_valid_index()))
-    end_nans = set(range(1 + ys.last_valid_index(), len(valid)))
-
-    # violate_limit is a list of the indexes in the series whose yvalue is
-    # currently NaN, and should still be NaN after the interpolation.
-    # Specifically:
-    #
-    # If limit_direction='forward' or None then the list will contain NaNs at
-    # the beginning of the series, and NaNs that are more than 'limit' away
-    # from the prior non-NaN.
-    #
-    # If limit_direction='backward' then the list will contain NaNs at
-    # the end of the series, and NaNs that are more than 'limit' away
-    # from the subsequent non-NaN.
-    #
-    # If limit_direction='both' then the list will contain NaNs that
-    # are more than 'limit' away from any non-NaN.
-    #
-    # If limit=None, then use default behavior of filling an unlimited number
-    # of NaNs in the direction specified by limit_direction
+    if limit_area is not None:
+        valid_limit_areas = ['inside', 'outside']
+        limit_area = limit_area.lower()
+        if limit_area not in valid_limit_areas:
+            raise ValueError('Invalid limit_area: expecting one of %r, got %r.'
+                             % (valid_limit_areas, limit_area))
 
     # default limit is unlimited GH #16282
     if limit is None:
@@ -186,15 +170,43 @@ def _interp_limit(invalid, fw_limit, bw_limit):
     elif limit < 1:
         raise ValueError('Limit must be greater than 0')
 
-    # each possible limit_direction
+    from pandas import Series
+    ys = Series(yvalues)
+
+    # These are sets of index pointers to invalid values... i.e. {0, 1, etc...
+    all_nans = set(np.flatnonzero(invalid))
+    start_nans = set(range(ys.first_valid_index()))
+    end_nans = set(range(1 + ys.last_valid_index(), len(valid)))
+    mid_nans = all_nans - start_nans - end_nans
+
+    # Like the sets above, preserve_nans contains indices of invalid values,
+    # but in this case, it is the final set of indices that need to be
+    # preserved as NaN after the interpolation.
+
+    # For example if limit_direction='forward' then preserve_nans will
+    # contain indices of NaNs at the beginning of the series, and NaNs that
+    # are more than'limit' away from the prior non-NaN.
+
+    # set preserve_nans based on direction using _interp_limit
     if limit_direction == 'forward':
-        violate_limit = sorted(start_nans |
-                               set(_interp_limit(invalid, limit, 0)))
+        preserve_nans = start_nans | set(_interp_limit(invalid, limit, 0))
     elif limit_direction == 'backward':
-        violate_limit = sorted(end_nans |
-                               set(_interp_limit(invalid, 0, limit)))
-    elif limit_direction == 'both':
-        violate_limit = sorted(_interp_limit(invalid, limit, limit))
+        preserve_nans = end_nans | set(_interp_limit(invalid, 0, limit))
+    else:
+        # both directions... just use _interp_limit
+        preserve_nans = set(_interp_limit(invalid, limit, limit))
+
+    # if limit_area is set, add either mid or outside indices
+    # to preserve_nans GH #16284
+    if limit_area == 'inside':
+        # preserve NaNs on the outside
+        preserve_nans |= start_nans | end_nans
+    elif limit_area == 'outside':
+        # preserve NaNs on the inside
+        preserve_nans |= mid_nans
+
+    # sort preserve_nans and covert to list
+    preserve_nans = sorted(preserve_nans)
 
     xvalues = getattr(xvalues, 'values', xvalues)
     yvalues = getattr(yvalues, 'values', yvalues)
@@ -211,7 +223,7 @@ def _interp_limit(invalid, fw_limit, bw_limit):
         else:
             inds = xvalues
         result[invalid] = np.interp(inds[invalid], inds[valid], yvalues[valid])
-        result[violate_limit] = np.nan
+        result[preserve_nans] = np.nan
         return result
 
     sp_methods = ['nearest', 'zero', 'slinear', 'quadratic', 'cubic',
@@ -230,7 +242,7 @@ def _interp_limit(invalid, fw_limit, bw_limit):
                                                      fill_value=fill_value,
                                                      bounds_error=bounds_error,
                                                      order=order, **kwargs)
-        result[violate_limit] = np.nan
+        result[preserve_nans] = np.nan
         return result
 
 

pandas/core/resample.py

@@ -487,7 +487,8 @@ def fillna(self, method, limit=None):
 
     @Appender(_shared_docs['interpolate'] % _shared_docs_kwargs)
     def interpolate(self, method='linear', axis=0, limit=None, inplace=False,
-                    limit_direction='forward', downcast=None, **kwargs):
+                    limit_direction='forward', limit_area=None,
+                    downcast=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Interpolate values according to different methods.
 
@@ -497,6 +498,7 @@ def interpolate(self, method='linear', axis=0, limit=None, inplace=False,
         return result.interpolate(method=method, axis=axis, limit=limit,
                                   inplace=inplace,
                                   limit_direction=limit_direction,
+                                  limit_area=limit_area,
                                   downcast=downcast, **kwargs)
 
     def asfreq(self, fill_value=None):

pandas/tests/series/test_missing.py

@@ -959,6 +959,45 @@ def test_interp_limit_bad_direction(self):
         pytest.raises(ValueError, s.interpolate, method='linear',
                       limit_direction='abc')
 
+    # limit_area introduced GH #16284
+    def test_interp_limit_area(self):
+        # These tests are for issue #9218 -- fill NaNs in both directions.
+        s = Series([nan, nan, 3, nan, nan, nan, 7, nan, nan])
+
+        expected = Series([nan, nan, 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., nan, nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='inside')
+        assert_series_equal(result, expected)
+
+        expected = Series([nan, nan, 3., 4., nan, nan, 7., nan, nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='inside',
+                               limit=1)
+
+        expected = Series([nan, nan, 3., 4., nan, 6., 7., nan, nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='inside',
+                               limit_direction='both', limit=1)
+        assert_series_equal(result, expected)
+
+        expected = Series([nan, nan, 3., nan, nan, nan, 7., 7., 7.])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='outside')
+        assert_series_equal(result, expected)
+
+        expected = Series([nan, nan, 3., nan, nan, nan, 7., 7., nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='outside',
+                               limit=1)
+
+        expected = Series([nan, 3., 3., nan, nan, nan, 7., 7., nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='outside',
+                               limit_direction='both', limit=1)
+        assert_series_equal(result, expected)
+
+        expected = Series([3., 3., 3., nan, nan, nan, 7., nan, nan])
+        result = s.interpolate(method='linear', limit_area='outside',
+                               direction='backward')
+
+        # raises an error even if limit type is wrong.
+        pytest.raises(ValueError, s.interpolate, method='linear',
+                      limit_area='abc')
+
     def test_interp_limit_direction(self):
         # These tests are for issue #9218 -- fill NaNs in both directions.
         s = Series([1, 3, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, 11])