Are there different ways to reference array elements?

[Decker87]

Hi. I am trying to write some UDFs (for myself and the community) that deal with arrays of arbitrary dimensions. This is often quite difficult because it means I can't use syntax such as $arr[2][2] if the array passed has three dimensions. This is where I am looking for a secondary was to reference an array, similar to C++. As many of you know, in C++ an array is simply a pointer to a memory location, and it's dimensions are simply offsets within that memory location dedicated to the array.

For example, say I have an array that is defined like so: Dim $arr[4][3]

Now, say I want to reference the last element in this array: $arr[3][2]

What I'm looking for is a more primitive way of referencing this element, something like $arr + 12.

Obviously this isn't the correct syntax, but I am trying to convey the idea. It would make it _much_ easier to write functions that deal with many-dimensional arrays easier.

[Valuater]

Maybe...

Dim $myArray[10][20]   ;element 0,0 to 9,19
$rows = UBound($myArray)
$cols = UBound($myArray, 2)
$dims = UBound($myArray, 0)

MsgBox(0, "The " & $dims & "-dimensional array has", _
    $rows & " rows, " & $cols & " columns")

8)

[Malkey]

Hi. I am trying to write some UDFs (for myself and the community) that deal with arrays of arbitrary dimensions. This is often quite difficult because it means I can't use syntax such as $arr[2][2] if the array passed has three dimensions. This is where I am looking for a secondary was to reference an array, similar to C++. As many of you know, in C++ an array is simply a pointer to a memory location, and it's dimensions are simply offsets within that memory location dedicated to the array.

For example, say I have an array that is defined like so: Dim $arr[4][3]

Now, say I want to reference the last element in this array: $arr[3][2]

What I'm looking for is a more primitive way of referencing this element, something like $arr + 12.

Obviously this isn't the correct syntax, but I am trying to convey the idea. It would make it _much_ easier to write functions that deal with many-dimensional arrays easier.

Try this example of the PrimRef() function - (Primitive Reference).

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#include <array.au3>

Dim $arr[4][3] = [[1, 2, 3],[4, 5, 6],[7, 8, 9],[10, 11, 12]]

MsgBox(0, "2 Dimensional Example","PrimRef($arr, 12) = " & PrimRef($arr, 12))

;_ArrayDisplay($arr)

;Primative reference to an array
Func PrimRef(ByRef $array, $Ref)
    If ($Ref > (UBound($array) * UBound($array, 2))) Or $Ref <= 0 Then Return "subscript dimension range exceeded"
    Return $array[Int(($Ref - 1) / (UBound($array) - 1))][Mod($Ref - 1, UBound($array) - 1)]
EndFunc   ;==>PrimRef

;======= 3 Dimensional array example ===========================

Dim $arr[2][4][3] = [[[1, 2, 3],[4, 5, 6],[7, 8, 9],[10, 11, 12]], _
                     [[13, 14, 15],[16, 17, 18],[19, 20, 21],[22, 23, 24]]]

ConsoleWrite(" UBound($arr)   " & UBound($arr)    & "  Default = 1 See UBound($arr,1)" & @CRLF) 
ConsoleWrite(" UBound($arr,0) " & UBound($arr, 0) & "  Number of dimensions in array" & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite(" UBound($arr,1) " & UBound($arr, 1) & "  Size of 1st dimension"  & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite(" UBound($arr,2) " & UBound($arr, 2) & "  Size of 2nd dimension"  & @CRLF) 
ConsoleWrite(" UBound($arr,3) " & UBound($arr, 3) & "  Size of 3rd dimension" & @CRLF) 

MsgBox(0, " 3 Dimensional Example"," _ArrayRef3Dim($arr, 24)) = " & _ArrayRef3Dim($arr, 24))

;Primative reference to an array
Func _ArrayRef3Dim(ByRef $array, $Ref)
    If ($Ref > (UBound($array, 1) * UBound($array, 2) * UBound($array, 3))) Or $Ref <= 0 Then Return "subscript dimension range exceeded"
    Local $Dim1 = Int(($Ref - 1) / ((UBound($array, 2)) * (UBound($array, 3))))
    Local $Dim2 = Int(($Ref - 1 - $Dim1 * (UBound($array, 2)) * (UBound($array, 3))) / ((UBound($array, 3))))
    Local $Dim3 = $Ref - 1 - (($Dim1 * UBound($array, 2) * $Dim1 * UBound($array, 3)) + $Dim2 * (UBound($array, 3)))
    Return $array[$Dim1][$Dim2][$Dim3]
EndFunc   ;==>PrimRef3Dim

;=======> End of 3 Dimensional array example ======================

Edit: Added Example to reference a three dimensional array.

Edited December 25, 2008 by Malkey

[Decker87]

Hmm, that is a nice function, but it doesn't solve the problem. I am trying to find a way of dealing with arrays of arbitrary dimensions - what you wrote there only works for two or three dimensions. If I were to pass to those functions a 27-dimension array, I'd still get an error. This is the fundamental problem I am trying to solve.