ReDim Preserve to a Multi-Dimensional Array in Visual Basic 6

Question

I\'m using VB6 and I need to do a ReDim Preserve to a Multi-Dimensional Array:

 Dim n, m As Integer
    n = 1
    m = 0
    Dim arrCity() As String
    ReDi         


        

Answer 1

You can use a user defined type containing an array of strings which will be the inner array. Then you can use an array of this user defined type as your outer array.

Have a look at the following test project:

'1 form with:
'  command button: name=Command1
'  command button: name=Command2
Option Explicit

Private Type MyArray
  strInner() As String
End Type

Private mudtOuter() As MyArray

Private Sub Command1_Click()
  'change the dimensens of the outer array, and fill the extra elements with "1"
  Dim intOuter As Integer
  Dim intInner As Integer
  Dim intOldOuter As Integer
  intOldOuter = UBound(mudtOuter)
  ReDim Preserve mudtOuter(intOldOuter + 2) As MyArray
  For intOuter = intOldOuter + 1 To UBound(mudtOuter)
    ReDim mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intOuter) As String
    For intInner = 0 To UBound(mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner)
      mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intInner) = "1"
    Next intInner
  Next intOuter
End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()
  'change the dimensions of the middle inner array, and fill the extra elements with "2"
  Dim intOuter As Integer
  Dim intInner As Integer
  Dim intOldInner As Integer
  intOuter = UBound(mudtOuter) / 2
  intOldInner = UBound(mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner)
  ReDim Preserve mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intOldInner + 5) As String
  For intInner = intOldInner + 1 To UBound(mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner)
    mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intInner) = "2"
  Next intInner
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Click()
  'clear the form and print the outer,inner arrays
  Dim intOuter As Integer
  Dim intInner As Integer
  Cls
  For intOuter = 0 To UBound(mudtOuter)
    For intInner = 0 To UBound(mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner)
      Print CStr(intOuter) & "," & CStr(intInner) & " = " & mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intInner)
    Next intInner
    Print "" 'add an empty line between the outer array elements
  Next intOuter
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
  'init the arrays
  Dim intOuter As Integer
  Dim intInner As Integer
  ReDim mudtOuter(5) As MyArray
  For intOuter = 0 To UBound(mudtOuter)
    ReDim mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intOuter) As String
    For intInner = 0 To UBound(mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner)
      mudtOuter(intOuter).strInner(intInner) = CStr((intOuter + 1) * (intInner + 1))
    Next intInner
  Next intOuter
  WindowState = vbMaximized
End Sub

Run the project, and click on the form to display the contents of the arrays.

Click on Command1 to enlarge the outer array, and click on the form again to show the results.

Click on Command2 to enlarge an inner array, and click on the form again to show the results.

Be careful though: when you redim the outer array, you also have to redim the inner arrays for all the new elements of the outer array