function - return statement

[chungt004]

lets say i created a 2-dimentional array in a function, let's call it

#include...

char array(){
...
...
return ???;
}

int main(){
char board[50][50];
...
...
board[50][50] = array();  /*this part is totally wrong, but i think you should understand what im trying to do by this*/

return 0;
}

is there a way to return a full array into the main portion of a program?
if not, can you somehow loop the function such that it is able to return the specific array values back into the main?

[tabstop]

Pass the array into the function and fill it that way.

[chungt004]

ok... thats really not what i want to do but thx for answering... what i want somthing like the following

 #include...

char array(int a){
int b,c, d;
char array1[a][a];

for(b =0; b<=a;b++){
for(c=0;c<=a;c++){
d = rand()&#37;2;
array1[b][c] =d
}
}
return (somthing...dont know what goes here);
}
int main(){
int x;

scanf("%d", &x);
char array[x][x] = array(x); //pretty sure this is wrong
...
...
return 0;
}

somtheing like that where an array is created in a function... is there a way to return that function created array back into the main?

[Elysia]

Please indent your code.
It's possible, but it's not a very friendly way. You have to allocate memory on the heap and return a char** to there.
Main will later have to call free to release the memory.
Therefore it is preferred to pass in a buffer to the function which it can fill. Be sure to pass along the size of the buffer, as well.

[chungt004]

Ok... thx... one more question... if i want to print the array in the function... then present that printed array in the main would i also have to use a char**? or buffer... or is there a way around that?

[tabstop]

Ok... thx... one more question... if i want to print the array in the function... then present that printed array in the main would i also have to use a char**? or buffer... or is there a way around that?

What does that mean? Do you mean that now you want a string (or an array of strings, or something similar) that contains what your array would like if printed?