Multi-dimensional array - c++

Question

I need to create a function that has a parameter which is a multi-dimensional array with two dimensions being user-specified, e.g.
int function(int a, int b, int array[a][b])
{
...
}
How would I do that in C++ ?

Answer 1

Are the dimensions known at compile-time? In that case, turn them into template parameters and pass the array by reference:
template<int a, int b>
int function(int(&array)[a][b])
{
...
}
Example client code:
int x[3][7];
function(x);
int y[6][2];
function(y);

Answer 2

Assuming the dimensions are not known at compile time, you emulate a two dimensional array with a one dimensional array:
int& getat(int x, int y, int r, int c, int *array) {return array[y*c+x];}
int function(int a, int b, int *array) {
getat(4, 2, a, b, array) = 32; //array[4,2] = 32
}
or, for safety, wrap it all in a class:
template <class T>
class array2d {
std::vector<T> data;
unsigned cols, rows;
public:
array2d() : data(), cols(0), rows(0) {}
array2d(unsigned c, unsigned r) : data(c*r), cols(c), rows(r) {}
T& operator()(unsigned c, unsigned r) {
assert(c<cols&&r<rows);
return data[r*cols+c];
}
};
or, best yet, use Boost's Multidimensional Array, which will be better than anything mere mortals could write.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if this work, because your question and code are not the same, according to your code the function can have 3 parameters, so this would work:
int function(int a, int b, int** &array)
{
array = new int*[a];
for (int i =0;i<a;i++)
array[i] = new int[b];
// I don't know why you are returning int, probably doing something here....
}
However your question says that your function can take only one parameter, so:
if the dimensions are known at compile time, then Fred's Answer is the best (it charmed me in fact! :) ).
if not, I can't see any possible solution that allows passing more than one user-specified value other than encapsulating all these values in one object.
Like this:
class Foo {
public:
Foo(int d1, int d2)
{ a = d1; b = d2; }
int a,b;
int** array;
};
int function(Foo &f)
{
f.array = new int*[f.a];
for (int i = 0;i<f.a;i++)
f.array[i] = new int[f.b];
// I don't know why you are returning int, probably doing something here....
}
Though I find it a bad idea, in fact the function could be a parameterless method instead:
class Foo {
public:
Foo(int d1, int d2)
{ a = d1; b = d2; }
void Create() // Or could do this right in the Constructor
{
array = new int*[a];
for (int i = 0;i<a;i++)
array[i] = new int[b];
}
private:
int a,b;
int** array;
};
Still this is a bad idea, because you are reinventing the wheel, as there are a perfect class in the STL to do all the work for you:
vector< vector<int> > v; // Now v is a 2D array