Python IndexError: too many indices for array

Arrays in Python are one dimensional and two dimensional. Two-dimensional arrays consist of one or more arrays inside it. You can access the elements in a 2D array by mentioning two indices. The first index represents the position of the inner array. The other index represents the element within this inner array.

Python IndexError: too many indices for array

While using a numpy array, you might come across an error IndexError: too many indices for an array. This occurs when you are trying to access the elements of a one-dimensional numpy array as a 2D array. To avoid this error, you need to mention the correct dimensions of the array.

This error is thrown by Python 'numpy array' library when you try to access a single-dimensional array into multiple dimensional arrays.

Example

# Code with error

# Importing the numpy library
import numpy as np

# Declaring and Initializing the one Dimension Array
x = np.array([212,312,2,12,124,142,12])

# Printing the result
print(x[0,3])

OUTPUT:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "main.py", line 5, in <module>
    print(x[0,3])
IndexError: too many indices 

In the above example, we have declared a single dimensional array using numpy library array, but later in the code, we are trying to print it as a two-dimensional array.

Solution

To resolve this error, you have re-check the dimensions which you are using and the dimension you are declaring and initializing 

# Code without errors

# Importing the numpy library
import numpy as np

# Declaring and initializing the one dimension array
x = np.array([212,312,2,12,124,142,12])

# To check the dimension of the array
print("Shape of the array = ",np.shape(x));

# Printing the result
print(x[0])

OUTPUT:

Shape of the array =  (7,)
212 

How to check the Dimension of Array

To check the dimension of your declared array use len(x.shape) function of the numpy library. 

import numpy as np
myarray = np.array([[[2,4,4],[2,34,9]],[[12,3,4],[2,1,3]],[[2,2,2],[2,1,3]]])

print("Array Dimension = ",len(myarray.shape))

Output

Array Dimension =  3

Conclusion

The indices of the numpy array have to be mentioned according to the size. For a one dimensional array, mention one index. For 2D arrays, specify two indices. The best way to go about it is by using the len(myarray.shape).