Correct syntax for creating a callable string array

Hi guys, I'm trying to create a string array that I can use in a inheritable class...I get a syntax error.


Assets/Scripts/QnA.cs(5,26): error CS0650: Syntax error, bad array declarator. To declare a managed array the rank specifier precedes the variable's identifier. To declare a fixed size buffer field, use the fixed keyword before the field type

Code (CSharp):

1. using UnityEngine;
2. using System.Collections;
3.  
4. public class QnA : MonoBehaviour {
5.     public string[,] myarray[] = new string[2, 5]()
6.     {
7.         myarray[0, 0] = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";
8.         myarray[0, 1] = "bb";
9.         myarray[0, 2] = "cc";
10.         myarray[0, 3] = "dd";
11.         myarray[0, 4] = "ee";
12.         myarray[1, 0] = "ff";
13.         myarray[1, 1] = "gg";
14.         myarray[1, 2] = "hh";
15.         myarray[1, 3] = "ii";
16.         myarray[1, 4] = "jj";
17.         return myarray;
18.     }
19.  
20. }
21.  

 

I think you're looking for this:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2.     public string[,] myarray = new string[,]
3.     {
4.         {
5.             "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA",
6.             "bb",
7.             "cc",
8.             "dd",
9.             "ee"
10.         },
11.         {
12.             "ff",
13.             "gg",
14.             "hh",
15.             "ii",
16.             "jj"
17.         }
18.     };
19.  

 

That semicolon on the end is something I always look for first in this kind of thing, right off. I blame C#'s loose enforcement of this rule for Enums (where you can either use it or not) as creating bad habits. Of course, that was only a third of the problem here.

 

First off -- thanks a lot! But why can't I simply use this format:

Code (CSharp):

1. using UnityEngine;
2. using System.Collections;
3.  
4. public class QnA : MonoBehaviour {
5.     public string[,] myarray = new string[,]
6.     {
7.         myarray[0, 0] = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";
8.         myarray[0, 1] = "bb";
9.         myarray[0, 2] = "cc";
10.         myarray[0, 3] = "dd";
11.         myarray[0, 4] = "ee";
12.         myarray[1, 0] = "ff";
13.         myarray[1, 1] = "gg";
14.         myarray[1, 2] = "hh";
15.         myarray[1, 3] = "ii";
16.         myarray[1, 4] = "jj";
17.         return myarray;
18.     }
19. }
20.  

 

You're mixing two different ways to create an array. There's creating an empty, fixed-size array and filling it with elements:

Code (csharp):

1. string[,] myarray = new string[2,5]
2. myarray[0, 0] = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";
3. myarray[0, 1] = "bb";
4. myarray[0, 2] = "cc";
5. myarray[0, 3] = "dd";
6. myarray[0, 4] = "ee";
7. myarray[1, 0] = "ff";
8. myarray[1, 1] = "gg";
9. myarray[1, 2] = "hh";
10. myarray[1, 3] = "ii";
11. myarray[1, 4] = "jj";

And there's the quick, inline creation where you just put in the elements in brackets and call it a day:

Code (csharp):

1. string[,] myarray = new string[,]
2.     {
3.         {
4.             "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA",
5.             "bb",
6.             "cc",
7.             "dd",
8.             "ee"
9.         },
10.         {
11.             "ff",
12.             "gg",
13.             "hh",
14.             "ii",
15.             "jj"
16.         }
17.     };

You can't use the first version when defining a field, as the assignment calls have to be in a method. In the Unity context, the easiest way to do it is to generate the array on Awake:

Code (CSharp):

1. using UnityEngine;
2. using System.Collections;
3.  
4. public class QnA : MonoBehaviour {
5.     public string[,] myarray = new string[2, 5];
6.  
7.     void Awake()  
8.     {
9.         myarray[0, 0] = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";
10.         myarray[0, 1] = "bb";
11.         myarray[0, 2] = "cc";
12.         myarray[0, 3] = "dd";
13.         myarray[0, 4] = "ee";
14.         myarray[1, 0] = "ff";
15.         myarray[1, 1] = "gg";
16.         myarray[1, 2] = "hh";
17.         myarray[1, 3] = "ii";
18.         myarray[1, 4] = "jj";
19.     }
20. }
21.  

 

Hello, I am a beginner in Unity and I am also trying to create an array of strings. This threat is very enlighting but the final example is right?:
"publicstring[,] myarray[]=newstring[2, 5]();"
The second pair of "[]" after "myarray" are necessary?

 

Nope, that's horribly wrong. I'll update my post.

Thanks for catching that! The post now shows the correct syntax. It must've been really late when I wrote that.