Error with initializing a 2d wide char array?

Question

I'm trying to do a 2d wchar_t array initialization using that code:

const wchar_t* e[6][]={
    { L"ç", L"$^^" },
    { L"ç"},
    { L"ç", L"$^^" },
    { L"ç", L"$^^" },
    { L"ç", L"$^^" },
    { L"ç", L"$^^" }
};

but I get an error when compiling:

array type has incomplete element type

so what's wrong and what to do to solve that problem?

What you are trying to declare isn't a 2D-array to wchar_t, but to pointers to wchar_t. — alk
– alk, Commented May 13, 2014 at 13:10

Holt · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-13 12:45:00Z

3

The only optional length when declaring an array is the first one, so in your case you need to specify the second one:

const wchar_t *e[][2] ;

Moreover be carefull that the array in second position is filled with NULL value at the end:

{L"ç"} 
// is in fact
{L"ç", NULL}

answered May 13, 2014 at 12:31

Holt

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9 Comments

this array should have different sized lines: so the 2nd line can have a different size.

@user3457200 It is not possible to create static array with different length for each line in C.

I tested this array as it was with doing 'const wchar_t *e[][2]' on a test program, and it worked fine for me.

@user3457200 It's because your array is automtically filled with NULL value at the end, but its size is still 2.

@Holt you can omit initializers, it would initialize missing items with a null pointer.

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user1814023 · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-13 12:28:26Z

1

The way you are declaring the array is wrong... You should be doing...

const wchar_t* e[][6] instead of const wchar_t* e[6][]

answered May 13, 2014 at 12:28

user1814023