Arrays

[adrian1386]

I have made some ok scripts with the help of this forum and lately have been seeing a lot of talk about arrays.

What are they and how are they useful?

Thanks in advance!

[poisonkiller]

Well... If you use arrays, you dont have to use many different variables. Example:

Dim $array[5];Declares 5 arrays
$array[1] = "Hello!"
$array[2] = "Goodbye!"
$array[3] = "Some more arrays"
$array[4] = "Fourth array"

For $i = 1 to 4
$result = $array[$i] &@CRLF
Next

MsgBox(0, "", $result) 
;Result will be:
;Hello!
;Goodbye!
;Some more arrays
;Fourth array

And of course you can do a lot more things with arrays.

[nfwu]

Arrays are a form of data structure.

If you need to keep track of a number of items tht are of the same data type, the best solution is to use an array. For example, a bank may want to keep track of the ballances for each of the 12 months, without arrays you could create 12 variables: (inefficent)

$Jan_balance
$Feb_balance
$Mar_balance
$Apr_balance
$May_balance
$Jun_balance
$Jul_balance
$Aug_balance
$Sep_balance
$Oct_balance
$Nov_balance
$Dec_balance

To use these variables, you must determine which month it is an then switch/ifelse among the correct variables.

If $month == 0 Then
   $jan_ballance += $amount_to_add
Elseif $month == 1 Then
   $feb_ballance += $amount_to_add
;... code cut ...
ElseIf $month == 11 Then
   $dec_ballance += $amount_to_add
Endif

Get the idea, but with arrays:

Dim $balance[12]
;; $balance[0] is january, $balance[11] is december
$balance[$month] += $amount_to_add

RECAP:

Declaration:

Dim $array_name[<number_of_elements>]

Access:

$array_name[<element_number>]

Remember that for Dim $array_name[12] makes a twelve element array, element numbers ranging from 0 to 11. (always start with 0!!!)

[SmOke_N]

Well... If you use arrays, you dont have to use many different variables. Example:

Dim $array[5];Declares 5 arrays
$array[1] = "Hello!"
$array[2] = "Goodbye!"
$array[3] = "Some more arrays"
$array[4] = "Fourth array"

For $i = 1 to 4
$result = $array[$i] &@CRLF
Next

MsgBox(0, "", $result) 
;Result will be:
;Hello!
;Goodbye!
;Some more arrays
;Fourth array

And of course you can do a lot more things with arrays.

Result this way will be: Fourth array

You need to have the $result in with the adding and Dim/Local the variable $result:

Dim $array[5];Declares 5 arrays
$array[1] = "Hello!"
$array[2] = "Goodbye!"
$array[3] = "Some more arrays"
$array[4] = "Fourth array"
Dim $result

For $i = 1 to 4
$result = $result & $array[$i] &@CRLF
Next

MsgBox(0, "", $result)
;Result will be:
;Hello!
;Goodbye!
;Some more arrays
;Fourth array

Edit

or with Beta: $result &= $array[$i] & @CRLF

Edited January 11, 2006 by SmOke_N