Simple array init question

[Bill Baxter]

Derek Parnell wrote:
> On Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:38:03 -0400, Dan wrote:
> 
>>> Sorry, "int[5,5]" only compiles because of the obscure comma operator. 
>> According to the D spec, that should compile as a rectangular array.  I haven't tried it.  I have read the spec.
>>
>> See:
>> http://digitalmars.com/d/arrays.html
>> and visit "Rectangular Arrays".
> 
> I don't read the spec that way at all.
> 
> "Fortunately, D static arrays, while using the same syntax, are implemented
>  as a fixed rectangular layout: 
>     
>    double[3][3] matrix;
> 
>  declares a rectangular matrix with 3 rows and 3 columns, all contiguously
>  in memory. 
> 
>  In other languages, this would be called a multidimensional array and
>  be declared as: 
> 
>    double matrix[3,3];
> "
> 
> To me, this is say that D uses the [3][3] syntax but *other* languages use
> the [3,3] syntax.
> 
> 

Dan is not the first one to misread that particular passage in that 
particular way.  It needs to be rewritten.   The fact that the [3,3] 
appears in a code box just like other D code is hugely misleading.  It 
should at least be followed by an ALL CAPS comment:

    double matrix[3,3]; // NOT D CODE!

But anyway, there's really no reason for that last sentence.  Just cut 
it, I say.  The docs are supposed to describe what you can do in *D* and 
how to do it.  How other (vague and unspecified) languages do it is 
irrelevant.

--bb