How to create multi-dimensional dynamic control arrays?

[sniperton]

Hi all, I'm a hobby programmer with some little past experience in good old Turbo Pascal and Visual Basic, but a very green newbie after all.

I found this discussion (http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,8489.msg40976.html#msg40976) very helpful, but still I can't figure out how I could create and use dynamic multi-dimensional arrays. In VB it was possible 'to redim' the first dimension at least IIRC. Can I do the same with SetLength?

My practical problem is that I want to create and handle several child-forms (1st dimension) with different sets of controls on each (2nd dimension). I should read this particular 'application structure' from an application config file (that the user can modify).

Could anyone provide me with a short code example please?
Many thanks
 

[tintinux]

Hi

To have several dimensions, the simplest is to use another dynamic array as the base type. It is better, but not required, to define a type for the first dimension : this way you will be able to make procedures to handle one dimension item.

For example :

Code: [Select]

type
  TLines = array of string ;
  TGrid = array of TLines ;

var
  AGrid : TGrid ;

begin
  SetLength ( AGrid, 1, 1);
  AGrid[0,0] := 'Something' ;
end ;
Just check the exact order of dimensions, I'm not sure.


Regards
Tintinux

[sniperton]

Hi Tintinux, many thanks for the quick reply. So if I understand correctly, I have to create a chain of embedded arrays (to put it so sluggishly), where, in the given example, one of the dimensions will account for strings, the other for TLines. I'll give it a try.