User Guide

Two-Dimensional Arrays

Axcess Programming Language

For example:

DEFINE_VARIABLE

NAMES[1Ø][3Ø] (* two-dimensional array *)

PEOPLE[8][2Ø] (* another two-dimensional array *)

ONE_NAME[3Ø] (* one-dimensional array *)

A_VALUE (* single-value variable *)

DEFINE_PROGRAM

A_VALUE = 1Ø (* statement 1 *)

ONE_NAME = 'EMMITT SMITH' (* statement 2 *)

NAMES[1][1] = 6 (* statement 3 *)

NAMES[1][2] = A_VALUE (* statement 4 *)

NAMES[2] = 'TROY AIKMAN' (* statement 5 *)

NAMES[3] = "1,2,ONE_NAME,3" (* statement 6 *)

FIG. 18 shows what the two-dimensional array NAMES will look like after this code is executed.

Each row in the two-dimensional array has a length value like a one-dimensional array. When a

string literal or expression is assigned to a row of a two-dimensional array (as shown in statements

5 and 6 in the above example), that row has its length value set in the same manner as a one-

dimensional array does. The LENGTH_STRING and SET_LENGTH_STRING functions operate

on rows in two-dimensional arrays in the same way as whole one-dimensional arrays. Once the

above example is executed, the LENGTH_STRING function returns the first three rows of

NAMES:

X = LENGTH_STRING (NAMES[1]) (* X will contain Ø *)

X = LENGTH_STRING (NAMES[2]) (* X will contain 11 *)

X = LENGTH_STRING (NAMES[3]) (* X will contain 15 *)

Retrieving values

There are three ways of referencing the contents:

! By cell (single values)

! By row (an array of values)

! As a whole

Single locations (or cells) are retrieved by using two index values. The first index value specifies

the row, the second the location in that row. For example:

A_VALUE = NAMES[3][6]

FIG. 18 The two-dimensional array NAMES after the assignments

In this example, '6', '10', '1', '2', and '3' are decimal values; the letters are ASCII characters.