Multidimensional Arrays

Beyond two dimensions, you can create a variable that represents various lists and each list contains various internal lists. This is referred to as a multidimensional array.

To create a multidimensional array, add as many commas in the square brackets as you judge them necessary. Here is an example of a three-dimensional array initialized:

using System;

namespace CSharpLessons
{
    class Exercise
    {
	static int Main()
	{
	    double[,,] number = new double[2,3,5]
	    {
		{
		    {  12.44, 525.38,  -6.28,  2448.32, 632.04 },
                    {-378.05,  48.14, 634.18,   762.48,  83.02 },
		    {  64.92,  -7.44,  86.74,  -534.60, 386.73 }

		},
	        {

		    {  48.02, 120.44,   38.62,  526.82, 1704.62 },
		    {  56.85, 105.48,  363.31,  172.62,  128.48 },
		    {  906.68, 47.12, -166.07, 4444.26,  408.62 }
		},
	    };
			
	    Console.WriteLine("Number of items {0}", number.Length);
            Console.WriteLine("Number of items {0}", number.Rank);

            Console.WriteLine();
	    return 0;
	}
    }
}

In this example, we are creating 2 groups of items. Each of the two groups is made of three lists. Each list contains 5 numbers. This would produce:

Number of items 30
Number of items 3

To locate each member of a multidimensional array, type the name of the array followed by the opening square bracket, followed by the 0-based first dimension, followed by a comma. Continue with each dimension and end with the closing square bracket. Here is an example:

using System;

namespace CSharpLessons
{
    class Exercise
    {
	static int Main()
	{
	    double[,,] number = new double[2,3,5]
	    {
		{
		    {  12.44, 525.38,  -6.28,  2448.32, 632.04 },
                    {-378.05,  48.14, 634.18,   762.48,  83.02 },
		    {  64.92,  -7.44,  86.74,  -534.60, 386.73 }
		},
	        {
		    {  48.02, 120.44,  38.62,   526.82,1704.62 },
		    {  56.85, 105.48, 363.31,  172.62,  128.48 },
		    {  906.68, 47.12,-166.07,  4444.26, 408.62 }
		},
	    };
	
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][0][0] = {0}", number[0,0,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][0][1] = {0}", number[0,0,1]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][0][2] = {0}", number[0,0,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][0][3] = {0}", number[0,0,3]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][0][4] = {0}\n", number[0,0,4]);
			
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][1][0] = {0}", number[0,1,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][1][1] = {0}", number[0,1,1]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][1][2] = {0}", number[0,1,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][1][3] = {0}", number[0,1,3]);
            Console.WriteLine("Number[0][1][4] = {0}\n", number[0,1,4]);

	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][2][0] = {0}", number[0,2,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][2][1] = {0}", number[0,2,1]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][2][2] = {0}", number[0,2,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[0][2][3] = {0}", number[0,2,3]);
            Console.WriteLine("Number[0][2][4] = {0}\n", number[0,2,4]);

	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][0][0] = {0}", number[1,0,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][0][1] = {0}", number[1,0,1]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][0][2] = {0}", number[1,0,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][0][3] = {0}", number[1,0,3]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][0][4] = {0}\n", number[1,0,4]);
			
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][1][0] = {0}", number[1,1,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][1][1] = {0}", number[1,1,1]);
            Console.WriteLine("Number[1][1][2] = {0}", number[1,1,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][1][3] = {0}", number[1,1,3]);
            Console.WriteLine("Number[1][1][4] = {0}\n", number[1,1,4]);

	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][2][0] = {0}", number[1,2,0]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][2][1] = {0}", number[1,2,1]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][2][2] = {0}", number[1,2,2]);
	    Console.WriteLine("Number[1][2][3] = {0}", number[1,2,3]);
            Console.WriteLine("Number[1][2][4] = {0}\n", number[1,2,4]);

	    Console.WriteLine("Number of items {0}", number.Length);
            Console.WriteLine("Number of items {0}", number.Rank);

            Console.WriteLine();
	    return 0;
	}
    }
}

This would produce:

Number[0][0][0] = 12.44
Number[0][0][1] = 525.38
Number[0][0][2] = -6.28
Number[0][0][3] = 2448.32
Number[0][0][4] = 632.04

Number[0][1][0] = -378.05
Number[0][1][1] = 48.14
Number[0][1][2] = 634.18
Number[0][1][3] = 762.48
Number[0][1][4] = 83.02

Number[0][2][0] = 64.92
Number[0][2][1] = -7.44
Number[0][2][2] = 86.74
Number[0][2][3] = -534.6
Number[0][2][4] = 386.73

Number[1][0][0] = 48.02
Number[1][0][1] = 120.44
Number[1][0][2] = 38.62
Number[1][0][3] = 526.82
Number[1][0][4] = 1704.62

Number[1][1][0] = 56.85
Number[1][1][1] = 105.48
Number[1][1][2] = 363.31
Number[1][1][3] = 172.62
Number[1][1][4] = 128.48

Number[1][2][0] = 906.68
Number[1][2][1] = 47.12
Number[1][2][2] = -166.07
Number[1][2][3] = 4444.26
Number[1][2][4] = 408.62

Number of items 30
Number of items 3