statement/DIM statement/DIM NAME DIM -- Presents and reserves memory for an array ABBREVIATION d <shift> I SYNOPSIS DIM <variable>(<subscripts>)[,<variable>(<subscripts>)][,<...> [,<variable>(<subscripts>)]] FUNCTION Before you can use an array of variables, the program must first execute a DIM statement to establish the DIMensions of that array (unless there are 11 or fewer elements in the array). The statement DIM is followed by the name of the array (<variable>), which may be any legal variable name. Then, enclosed in parentheses, you put the number (or numeric variable) of elements (<subscripts>) in each dimension. An array with more than one dimension is called a matrix. You may use any number of dimensions, but keep in mind that the whole list of variables you are creating takes up space in memory, and it is easy to run out of memory if you get carried away. To figure the number of variables created with each DIM, multiply the total number of elements in each dimension of the array. You can dimension more than one array in a DIM statement by separating the arrays by commas. If the program executes a DIM statement for any array more than once, you'll get re'DIMed array error message. It is good programming practice to place DIM statements near the beginning of the program. INPUTS <variable> - array name (legal variable name) <subscripts> - number of elements in an array RESULT Presents and reserves memory for an array or arrays. EXAMPLES DIM A$(40),B7(15),CC%(4,4,4) ! ! ! ! ! +- 125 Elements ! +--------- 16 Elements +---------------- 41 Elements NOTES Each array starts with element 0. Integer (single-digit) arrays take up 2/5ths of the space of floating point arrays. BUGS None SEE ALSO None