How do you declare a 2d array?

[square65]

I know this seems like a question that could easily be handled by the documentation.

Amazingly it doesn't. And googling returns nothing. Not a single person doing this or asking how to do this.

I've tried:

$test[][] = 0

$test[][] = [[]]

 

And a ton of other variations on this.

[square65]

I've figured out how.

You need to preface your array declaration with a scope specifier.

A la:

Local $test[][]

Global $test[][]

Since this is covered nowhere, hopefully when a good programmer is asking how to declare an array without initializing it to arbitrary values, they will come across this post.

[iamtheky]

If only there was a help file

 

Language Reference - Variables

...

Before you can start using Arrays in your script, you must define their bounds using the 'Global/Local/Static' keywords and define the bounds or assign some of the elements.

[qwert]

I agree that arrays are a little nebulous in the au3 documentation.  Here's a little excerpt from the help that clearly shows the mechanism (including the 0-based indexing):

#include <Array.au3>

Local $aArray_Base[10][3]

For $i = 0 To 9
    For $j = 0 To 2
        $aArray_Base[$i][$j] = $i & " - " & $j
    Next
Next

_ArrayDisplay($aArray_Base, "2D - Original")

The best long-term solution would be additions to the help that are clearly labeled as 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional and, say, 3-dimensional arrays ... as separate topics.

Edited February 20, 2015 by qwert

[Jos]

From the Helpfile: Language Reference - Variables

 

Before you can start using Arrays in your script, you must define their bounds using the 'Global/Local/Static' keywords and define the bounds or assign some of the elements.
 

 

Jos

[MikahS]

A good programmer wouldn't knock a language they don't know..

EDIT: Let me google that for you

Edited February 20, 2015 by MikahS

[Melba23]

square65,

There is always the Arrays tutorial in the Wiki which is very comprehensive.

M23

[square65]

If only there was a help file

Lmao.

If only consulting a page like:

https://www.autoitscript.com/wiki/Arrays

Was sufficient for just declaring a basic array.

Melba23, that article, which is actually the one I consulted before this post, does not explicitly state you need to give the scope specifier. It just shows that in an example. But you can give any variable that specifier and generally don't need to therefore it makes sense to ignore it in that tutorial.

MikahS, as I said, I consulted that and for logical reasons did not realize the scope specifier was absolutely necessary. I am a good programmer. Just not necessarily in this language yet. But I am a better programmer than you. Also the script I wrote last week, the first week I'd ever even heard of Autoit, is probably more sophisticated than anything you could write. It does full blown image processing, edge detection, and a pseudo image recognition system.

Thanks for the condescending LMGTFY though. Really showed that you lacked the intelligence to recognize that my question was actually legitimate and that obviously, based on my intelligent wording, I'd already consulted that page.

Thanks for the kind meaning advice from three of you. And I hope you learned your lesson, the condescending two of you.

I have a way of putting people in their place when they step out of line professionally. I do it in my job and I have the most productive IT department across every branch of my company. Hope you learned something

*snaps fingers, winks, spins 360 degrees and walks away*

Lock this thread please.

[iamtheky]

You have done nothing of the sort,  word walls in coding forums should probably include actual code, otherwise it is nonsense.   Tell us more about this awesome first project......that obviously doesnt use arrays.

[square65]

It uses arrays

Maybe you misunderstood this post.

[square65]

In fact it uses arrays of an arbitrary declared-at-runtime number of dimensions. Ever even heard of something like that?

[MikahS]

Are you going to post it or keep running your mouth?

[square65]

I said or hinted I was going to?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=proprietary

[square65]

Let me be clear. I'm a civil guy. But long time members on forums develop a VERY condescending attitude to newbies.

I have never abided that. And I never will. You guys got what you asked for.

Edited February 20, 2015 by square65

[qwert]

Flame me if you want, but I have to speak up, here:

The content and tone of the posts on this topic do a real disservice to the OP, the community and the AU3 language.

A LOT of people here are beginners.  The help file is a sprawling and continually-evolving work ... and sometimes the answer isn't obvious to even a veteran of the language.  (In 6 years, I've had my share of those experiences.)

Anyone who doesn't feel like answering a simple question should refrain from posting.  Someone else will probably chime in with a meaningful response.  I don't see the value of "snips".   And they're as unsightly on a forum as litter is on a roadside.

 

[square65]

Thanks. I feel the same way. I appreciate the answers I got.

[Melba23]

And everyone please take a deep breath before someone oversteps the mark (which has already been approached pretty closely) and I have to put on my Mod hat...

square65,

I agree that the documentation does not appear to have a note of the requirement for arrays to be scoped on declaration in all cases - which makes me wonder why no-one has ever raised the point before. Perhaps everyone else did "realize the scope specifier was absolutely necessary", despite not being as good a programmer as your good self.

I will add something to the "Array" section of the "Language Reference - Variables" page and to the "Arrays" Wiki tutorial for the enlightenment of future searchers.

M23

[mikell]

Hmm refering to post #2  I'm interested in declaration of empty arrays

I'm running the 3.3.12.0 release

Global $test[][]
Global $test[^ ERROR

Error: Variable subscript badly formatted.

But this works

#Include <Array.au3>

Global $test[][] = [[1, 2], [3, 4]]
 _ArrayDisplay($test)

So IMHO this thread is not completely useless (forgetting messages > #2)

Edit

And I could find nowhere in the helpfile a mention about how to declare an empty array using this kind of syntax 

Edited February 20, 2015 by mikell

[BrewManNH]

Declaring a variable like this creates a Map type variable, in 3.3.13.x beta versions.

Global $Test[]

Going above 1 dimension means you HAVE to declare the array with something in it if you don't say how many elements are in the dimensions. If you want your array to BE an array with one dimension, then you have to include the size in the declaration statement.

[mikell]

BrewManNH,

Thanks, I really thought about something like this

Your message should have been #3