Xbasic

Array dump Method

Syntax

dim result as C = <array>.dump([ flag as C ])

Arguments

flagCharacter: "R" = Blank entries are eliminated in character arrays only.

Returns

resultCharacter: Returns a CR-LF delimited list of values in the array.

Description

Create a CR-LF delimited string of a single dimensional array's contents.

Discussion

The <array>.dump() method creates a CR-LF delimited string of a single dimensional array's contents. This is the reverse of the <array>.initialize() method.

Used in conjunction with the <array>.initialize() method, this method can be used to copy one array's contents to another, or to eliminate blank entries in an array.

If flag is "R" blank entries in eliminated. This only applies to character arrays.

Examples

Assume an array "A" contains the following elements:

Element	Value
A[1]	Orange
A[2]	Banana
A[3]	Apple
A[4]	Pineapple
A[5]
A[6]
A[7]
A[8]	Mango

dim a[8] as C
a.initialize(<<%str%
Orange
Banana
Apple
Pineapple



Mango
%str%)

<array>.dump() will dump the values in the array. If "R" is passed in for the flag argument, the blank values in A[5], A[6], and A[7] are omitted from the output:

? A.dump()
= Orange
Banana
Apple
Pineapple



Mango

' omit blank values
? A.dump("R")
= Orange
Banana
Apple
Pineapple
Mango

The following script creates a new array that is a duplicate of an existing array.

dim B[A.size()] as C
B.initialize(A.dump("R"))

? B
= [1] = "Orange"
[2] = "Banana"
[3] = "Apple"
[4] = "Pineapple"
[5] = "Mango"
[6] = ""
[7] = ""
[8] = ""

The following script erases the blank entries in an array.

temp = A.dump("R")
A.clear(1, a.size())
? A
= [1] = ""
[2] = ""
[3] = ""
[4] = ""
[5] = ""
[6] = ""
[7] = ""
[8] = ""

A.initialize(temp)
? A
= [1] = "Orange"
[2] = "Banana"
[3] = "Apple"
[4] = "Pineapple"
[5] = "Mango"
[6] = ""
[7] = ""
[8] = ""