level 2 MapThread over association

Question

Consider a 2D array of Associations. MapThread is used to simultaneously supply it to some function with other args

assocs = Map[Association @@ Distribute[{"a", "b", "c"} -> RandomInteger[100], List] &,  comps,{2}];
Grid@assocs

MapThread[#1["a"] &, {assocs(*,otherArgs*)}, 2]

gives

MapThread::mptd: Object {{<|a->67,b->67,c->67|>},{<|a->57,b->57,c->57|>},{<|a->100,b->100,c->100|>},{<|a->58,b->58,c->58|>,<|a->50,b->50,c->50|>,<|a->72,b->72,c->72|>}} at position {2, 1} in MapThread[#1[a]&,{{{<|a->67,b->67,c->67|>},{<|a->57,b->57,c->57|>},{<|a->100,b->100,c->100|>},{<|a->58,b->58,c->58|>,<|a->50,b->50,c->50|>,<|a->72,b->72,c->72|>}}},2] has only 1 of required 2 dimensions.

Answer at MapThread with non-rectangular lists suggest that the non-rectangular strucure of the list is to be blamed. However, I am finding it difficult to implement the accepted and upvoted answer there

Function[Null, f[##], Listable] @@ A

given without any examples.

So how does one use MapThread at level 2 independent of rectangularity?

Answer 1

Transpose for a ragged list :

Flatten[assocs, {{2}, {1}}]
{{<|"a" -> 16, "b" -> 16, "c" -> 16|>, <|"a" -> 29, "b" -> 29, 
   "c" -> 29|>}, {<|"a" -> 82, "b" -> 82, "c" -> 82|>, <|"a" -> 0, 
   "b" -> 0, "c" -> 0|>}}

raggedMapThread[f_, expr_, level_Integer: 1] := 
 Apply[f, Flatten[expr, List /@ Range[2, level + 1]], {level}]


raggedMapThread[#1["a"] &, assocs, 1] // MatrixForm

1 is entered because internally the level is incremented by 1 in the function raggedMapThread.

All I did is create me a lst:

lst = {{{a, b}, {c, d}}, {{1, 2}, {3, 4}}};

and use it assocs as comps.

assocs = Map[
   Association @@ 
     Distribute[{"a", "b", "c"} -> RandomInteger[100], List] &, 
   lst, {2}];
Grid@assocs

Since the assocs of the question are not too ragged it is very easy.

I selected the most valuable solutions from the questions listed in the reference given in this question.