filling a multidimensional array in javascript

Question

I start out with an array of strings where each element of the array is separated by "//". e.g. temp[0] = {"sky//hi//pi"} , temp[1] = {"fish//steak//carrot"}. Now my code looks like this:

for (var i = 0; i < temp.length ;i++)
{
window.data_arrays = Array(2);
window.data_arrays[i] = temp[i].split("//");
}

What I'm trying to do is to make data_arrays into a 2 dimensional array...so for the example it would be like temp[0][0] = "sky", temp[0][1] = "hi", temp[1][0] = "fish".

However the code doesn't work. Can someone please help me out? Thanks. (reason why I'm assigning it to window is because I need to access this variable in another file later)

temp[0] = {"sky//hi//pi"} is not valid JavaScript.

Felix Kling
– Felix Kling

2011-07-13 15:20:56 +00:00
Commented Jul 13, 2011 at 15:20 — Felix Kling
– Felix Kling, Commented Jul 13, 2011 at 15:20

Felix Kling · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-13 15:21:53Z

2

Assuming your temp array is correct, you have to initialize the array before the loop:

window.data_arrays = [];
for (var i = 0; i < temp.length; i++) {
     window.data_arrays[i] = temp[i].split("//");
}

Otherwise you overwrite it on every iteration and it will only contain the values of the last iteration.

DEMO

answered Jul 13, 2011 at 15:21

Felix Kling

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Comments

josh.trow · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-13 15:21:57Z

1

You were close.

temp = []; 
temp[0] = "sky//hi//pi"; 
temp[1] = "fish//steak//carrot";

window.data_arrays = [];
for (var i = 0; i < temp.length ;i++) {
  window.data_arrays[i] = temp[i].split("//");
}

answered Jul 13, 2011 at 15:21

josh.trow

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2 Comments

user839260 Over a year ago

AHHH thanks so much everyone! javascript variable scope confuses the hell out of me -_-

Felix Kling Over a year ago

@user839260: This has nothing to do with JavaScript in this case. You would find the same behaviour in any programming language.

TIC · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-13 15:29:54Z

1

In your sample code line 3 (below), "window.data_arrays" is overwritten in each iteration.

window.data_arrays = Array(2);

By moving the assignment statement to outside of loop. The following code worked for me. (I used the FireBug plugin in firefox)

var temp = ["sky//hi//pi","fish//steak//carrot" ];

var data_array = {};
for (var i = 0; i < temp.length ;i++)
{
   data_array[i] = temp[i].split("//");
}

console.log(data_array.length);
console.log(data_array[0][0]);
console.log(data_array[0][1]);
console.log(data_array[0][2]);
console.log(data_array[1][0]);

answered Jul 13, 2011 at 15:29

TIC

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Comments

Lucho Giribone · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-13 15:39:50Z

1

the array definition is malformed, the rest is close:

var temp = [];
temp.push("sky//hi//pi");           // temp[0]
temp.push("fish//steak//carrot");   // temp[1]

var final = [];
for( var i=0, tempLen=temp.length; i < tempLen; i++ ){
   final.push( temp[i].split("//"));
}
console.log(final);

answered Jul 13, 2011 at 15:39

Lucho Giribone

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