Arrays

Arrays store collections of values. BazzBasic arrays are fully dynamic and support numeric, string, or mixed indexing.

Arrays

• Arrays store values that can change during program execution.
• All array names must end with $.

Declaration

• Arrays must be declared with DIM before they can be used
• BazzBasic arrays are not typed, but work the same way as in JavaScript, for example.
• An array needs the suffix '$'.

DIM scores$
DIM names$
DIM matrix$

Multiple declarations:

DIM a$, b$, c$

Numeric Indexing

Use numbers as indices (0-based):

DIM scores$
scores$(0) = 95
scores$(1) = 87
scores$(2) = 92

PRINT scores$(0)         ' Output: 95

String Indexing (Associative Arrays)

Use strings as keys:

DIM player$
player$("name") = "Alice"
player$("score") = 1500
player$("level") = 3

PRINT player$("name")    ' Output: Alice

Multi-dimensional Arrays

Use multiple indices separated by commas:

DIM matrix$
matrix$(0, 0) = "A1"
matrix$(0, 1) = "A2"
matrix$(1, 0) = "B1"
matrix$(1, 1) = "B2"

PRINT matrix$(1, 0)      ' Output: B1

Mixed Indexing

Combine numeric and string indices:

DIM data$
data$(1, "header") = "Name"
data$(1, "value") = "Alice"
data$(2, "header") = "Age"
data$(2, "value") = 30

PRINT data$(1, "value")  ' Output: Alice

Array Functions

LEN - Count Elements

Returns the number of elements in an array:

DIM items$
items$(0) = "apple"
items$(1) = "banana"
items$(2) = "cherry"

PRINT LEN(items$())      ' Output: 3

Note the empty parentheses () after the array name.

HASKEY - Check if Key Exists

Returns 1 if the key exists, 0 otherwise:

DIM config$
config$("debug") = 1

IF HASKEY(config$("debug")) THEN
    PRINT "Debug mode is set"
END IF

IF HASKEY(config$("verbose")) = 0 THEN
    PRINT "Verbose not set"
END IF

DELKEY - Remove Element

Removes an element from the array:

DIM cache$
cache$("temp") = "value"
PRINT HASKEY(cache$("temp"))  ' Output: 1

DELKEY cache$("temp")
PRINT HASKEY(cache$("temp"))  ' Output: 0

DELARRAY - Remove Entire Array

Removes the entire array and all its elements:

DIM arr$
arr$("name") = "Test"
arr$(0) = "Zero"

PRINT LEN(arr$())             ' Output: 2

DELARRAY arr$

' Array no longer exists, can be re-declared
DIM arr$
PRINT LEN(arr$())             ' Output: 0

Practical Examples

Pass values to user-defined functions

Arrays cannot be passed directly to functions. Instead, pass individual elements as values:

DIM a$
a$("name") = "Foo"
a$("age") = 19
a$(1) = 1

DEF FN func$(a$, b$, c$)
    PRINT a$
    PRINT b$
    PRINT c$
    RETURN 0
END DEF

LET b$ = FN func$(a$("name"), a$("age"), a$(1))
' Output:
' Foo
' 19
' 1

Simple List

DIM fruits$
LET count$ = 0

fruits$(count$) = "Apple"
count$ = count$ + 1
fruits$(count$) = "Banana"
count$ = count$ + 1
fruits$(count$) = "Cherry"
count$ = count$ + 1

FOR i$ = 0 TO count$ - 1
    PRINT fruits$(i$)
NEXT

Dictionary / Map

DIM translations$
translations$("hello") = "hei"
translations$("goodbye") = "nakemiin"
translations$("thanks") = "kiitos"

INPUT "English word: ", word$
IF HASKEY(translations$(word$)) THEN
    PRINT "Finnish: "; translations$(word$)
ELSE
    PRINT "Translation not found"
END IF

2D Grid

DIM grid$

' Initialize 3x3 grid
FOR row$ = 0 TO 2
    FOR col$ = 0 TO 2
        grid$(row$, col$) = "."
    NEXT
NEXT

' Place some markers
grid$(0, 0) = "X"
grid$(1, 1) = "O"
grid$(2, 2) = "X"

' Print grid
FOR row$ = 0 TO 2
    FOR col$ = 0 TO 2
        PRINT grid$(row$, col$); " ";
    NEXT
    PRINT ""
NEXT

Output:

X . .
. O .
. . X

Error Handling

Array Not Declared

scores$(0) = 95
' ERROR: Array not declared, use DIM first: scores$

Element Not Initialized

DIM data$
PRINT data$(0)
' ERROR: Array element data$(0) not initialized

Always check with HASKEY or initialize elements before reading.