Question

I have a textbox called txtBox1, a second textbox called txtbox2, a Label and a Button. I need to create a function that

1. accepts 2 integer parameters and returns a string.
2. creates a 2 dimensional array based on the integers passed in those parameters. The first integer parameter will represent txtbox1, the second integer parameter will represent txtbox2.
3. use nested for loops to fill the array elements with incrementing values starting at 1

4. As part of your looping structure, keep track of all element values in a string variable and separate them with a comma. For example, if the user enters 3 in txtbox1 and 5 in txtbox2 and clicks the button, we would get an array like so:

   :Length=15
   (0,0): 1    
   (0,1): 2
   (0,2): 3
   (0,3): 4
   (0,4): 5
   (1,0): 6
   (1,1): 7
   (1,2): 8
   (1,3): 9
   (1,4): 10 
   (2,0): 11
   (2,1): 12
   (2,2): 13
   (2,3): 14
   (2,4): 15    
   

   And the values populated in the elements would be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14 and 15.

5. The string passed back will be in the format “array is 3 x 5 and the values in the array elements are 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15”.
6. Populate the Label with this string value.

Here is what I have so far…

Shared Function myArray(int1 As Integer, int2 As Integer) As String

    Dim Array(int1 - 1, int2 - 1) As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim j As Integer
    Dim counter As Integer = 1

    For i = 0 To int1 - 1
        For j = 0 To int2 - 1
            Array(i, j) = counter
            counter += 1
        Next
    Next

    Return Array(i, j)

End Function

Answer 1

Ok, so you almost had it. I am assuming you are stuck on only #4. And please excuse me if I type the incorrect syntax, I have not done VB in a LONG time and I am doing this from memory.

let’s take a look at what you had:

For i as integer = 0 To int1 - 1
    For j as integer = 0 To int2 - 1
        Array(i, j) = counter
        counter += 1

Here you are using counter to populate the array with incremental values. You can just use this variable in another string variable, and just add commas between them:

first: add a string variable to the top:

Dim Array(int1 - 1, int2 - 1) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
Dim j As Integer
Dim counter As Integer = 1
Dim output as String = nothing

Then, use that variable in your loop:

For i = 0 To int1 - 1
    For j = 0 To int2 - 1
        Array(i, j) = counter
        output += "" & counter & ", "
        counter += 1
    Next
Next

last, change your return to send output instead of an element in your array

return output

If you want to format the string so that the last “, ” is not shown, look at the Strings.Left function. It would go something like this:

output = Left(output, Len(output) - 2) 'I am not sure if this is a 2 or 3, run and test

Ok, hope that helps. Feel free to ask for clarification or something.