Adding an array splitter

modules/Bio/EnsEMBL/Utils/Scalar.pm

@@ -106,11 +106,12 @@ our @EXPORT_OK;
   assert_ref assert_ref_can assert_numeric assert_integer assert_boolean assert_strand assert_file_handle
   wrap_array
   scope_guard
+  split_array
 );
 %EXPORT_TAGS = (
   assert  => [qw(assert_ref assert_ref_can assert_integer assert_numeric assert_boolean assert_strand assert_file_handle)],
   check   => [qw(check_ref check_ref_can)],
-  array   => [qw/wrap_array/],
+  array   => [qw/wrap_array split_array/],
   all     => [@EXPORT_OK]
 );
 
@@ -416,6 +417,33 @@ sub assert_file_handle {
   return 1;
 }
 
+=head2 split_array
+
+  Arg [1]     : Integer Maximum size of an array produced
+  Arg [2]     : ArrayRef The array to split
+  Description : Takes an array of values and splits the array into multiple 
+                arrays where the maximum size of each array is as specified
+  Example     : 
+  Returntype  : ArrayRef of ArrayRefs where each element is a split list
+=cut
+
+sub split_array {
+  my ($amount, $array) = @_;
+  assert_ref($array, 'ARRAY', 'array');
+  my @split;
+  my $counter = 0;
+  my $index = 0;
+  foreach my $e (@$array) {
+    if($counter == $amount) {
+      $index++;
+      $counter = 0;
+    }
+    push(@{$split[$index]}, $e);
+    $counter++;
+  }
+  return \@split;
+}
+
 =head2 scope_guard
 
   Arg [1]     : CodeRef The block of code to exit once it escapes out of scope

modules/t/utilsScalar.t

@@ -159,4 +159,14 @@ close($_) for ($scalar_fh, $other_scalar_fh);
   is($v, 'wibble', 'Value has been reset even after a die');
 }
 
+#Array split
+{
+  my $original_array = [1..7];
+  my $split_two = split_array(2, $original_array);
+  is_deeply($split_two, [[1,2],[3,4],[5,6],[7]], 'Checking split of 7 element array into arrays of max size 2') or diag explain $split_two;
+  my $split_ten = split_array(10, $original_array);
+  is_deeply($split_ten, [$original_array], 'Checking split of 7 element array into arrays of max size 10') or diag explain $split_ten;
+  dies_ok { split_array(1, {}) } 'Passing in a non-array ref means death';
+}
+
 done_testing();