Thread: initializing multi-dimensional arrays

Hi,
I am confused about how multi-dimensional arrays are initialized. For instance, if I want to do something to the effect of:

Code:

int a[2][3];
for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
        for (int r = 0; r < 3; ++r) {
               a[i][r] = i+r;
        }
}

I would imagine that I can initialize a[2][3] like this:

Code:

int a[2][3] = {
        { 0, 1 },
        { 1, 2 },
        { 2, 3 }
};

since a[2][3] can be seen as "an array of 3 elements, each element is an array of 2 elements"?

that is apparently incorrect as my compiler (gcc 4.1) gives me:

Code:

a.cpp:6: error: too many initializers for ‘int [2][3]’

and writing the declaration as

Code:

 int a[3][2];

fixes it.

Can you please point out what am I doing wrong?
Thank you very much

Thank you for your help.

I guess there's something conceptually wrong with my understanding of multi-dimensional arrays then...

>> since a[2][3] can be seen as "an array of 3 elements, each element is an array of 2 elements"?

a[2][3] should be seen as an array of 2 elements, each of which is an array of 3 elements. Just make that simple switch in your head and you should be good.

a[2][3] should be seen as an array of 2 elements, each of which is an array of 3 elements. Just make that simple switch in your head and you should be good.

Thank you for your reply. I think I get it now.