code: def arr_to_chars(arr):
      """Convert string array to char array"""
      dims = list(arr.shape)
      if not dims:
          dims = [1]
      dims.append(int(arr.dtype.str[2:]))
      arr = np.ndarray(
          shape=dims, dtype=arr_dtype_number(arr, 1), buffer=arr
      )
      empties = [arr == np.array("", dtype=arr.dtype)]
      if not np.any(empties):
          return arr
      arr = arr.copy()
      arr[tuple(empties)] = " "
      return arr
  
imports: import numpy
  from scipy._lib import doccer
  from .None import _byteordercodes
label_desc: Use image node_id 7 for calling a global function with example usage: arr_to_chars(arr) and returns: arr, arr