Variables in array declarations

I'm having a problem with an error on a line where I'm trying to declare an array. Boiled down, my code looks like this:

Code:

---

typedef struct
{
        ...
        int width, height;
        ...
} BMP_INFOHEADER;

int main ()
{
        BMP_INFOHEADER infohead;

        ...    // infohead gets filled in here

        char ascii [infohead.height][infohead.width];  // error!

        ...
}

---

The error I get on that line looks is
"illegal constant expression"

I assume it has something to do with the variables in the [][]'s. I thought I had an idea how to fix it, but I was wrong.

What's going on?

You can't use non-constant expressions in array definitions. You must use dynamic allocation.

constant variables actually mean that the compiler knows them at compile time. wich your infoheader is in memory and is not know by the compiler so the compiler doesnt know what todo.

Use a vector or boost::array so you don't have to manage the dynamic memory yourself.

Okay, dynamic allocation. Does that mean doing something like this?

Code:

---

{
        ...
        char * ascii;
        ascii = new char [infohead.height][infohead.width];
        ...

---

Because that gives me the same error.

Also, that change brings up other errors later in my code

Code:

---

{
        char colors [] = { 'f', 'o', '0' };
        ...
        // ERROR: pointer/array required
        ascii[i][j] = colors[c];
       
        // same error
        fputc (array[i][j], file);
}

---

Code:

---

ascii = new char [infohead.height + 1][infohead.width + 1];

---

try that ;)

You can't directly allocate a 2D array using operator new. A couple of choices (with different trade-offs) are;

Code:

---

  char **ascii;
  ascii = new (char *) [infohead.height];
  for (int i = 0; i < info.height; ++i)
      ascii[i] = new char[infohead.width];
  // can now access elements via  ascii[i][j] where i and j are integers

---

or

Code:

---

  char *ascii;
  ascii = new [infohead.height *infohead.width];

  // can now access elements via  ascii[i*infohead.height + j] where i and j are integers

---

Youy might also want to consider using a std::vector<std::vector<char> > or a std::vector<std::string> depending on what you're trying to do....

Or a boost::multi_array. http://www.boost.org/