Question

I have (at least) two multidimensional String arrays (with UNequal dimensions), that I am trying to put side by side. That is,

String[][] arrayOne contains the following:

aaaaa
aaaaa
aaaaa
aaaaa
aaaaa
aaaaa
aaaaa

…and String[][] arrayTwo contains the following:

bbbbbbbb
bbbbbbbb
bbbbbbbb
bbbbbbbb

…and String[][] arrayThree contains the following:

ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc
ccccccc

What I have been unsuccessfully trying to do is create a method which returns the following (preferrably as a multidimensional String array, but as a String works too):

String[][] result contains the following:

               ccccccc
               ccccccc
aaaaa          ccccccc
aaaaa          ccccccc
aaaaa          ccccccc
aaaaa bbbbbbbb ccccccc
aaaaa bbbbbbbb ccccccc
aaaaa bbbbbbbb ccccccc
aaaaa bbbbbbbb ccccccc

So basically, the method would put the arrays side-by-side, align them all to the bottom, and combine them into one array.

So far, my complex attempts to solve this problem have only created more errors, and trying to debug with println statements and the like has only confused me more. And I figured someone mush known a fairly easy way to accomplish this task.

If anyone knows, your help would be greatly appreciated!!!

*EDIT – * Example #2:

aaaa            bbb            ccccc                       ccccc
aaaa   'plus'   bbb   'plus'   ccccc   'yields'   aaaa     ccccc
aaaa                           ccccc              aaaa bbb ccccc
                               ccccc              aaaa bbb ccccc

Answer 1

An (untested) general solution to your problem:

EDIT: Thanks you @Paul Bellora for testing and confirming.

public static <T> T[][] mergeArrays(Class<T> clazz, T[][]... arrays) {
    // determine length of 1st dimension.
    int dim1 = 0;
    for (T[][] arr : arrays) {
        dim1 += arr.length;
    }
    // Create new 2Dim Array
    T[][] result = (T[][]) Array.newInstance(clazz, dim1, 0);
    // Fill the new array with all 'old' arrays
    int index = 0;
    for (T[][] arr : arrays) {
        for (T[] array : arr) {
            // changes within your old arrays will reflect to merged one
            result[index++] = array;
        }
    }
    return result;
}

This is how you call it:

    String[][] one = // your 1st array here;
    String[][] two = // your 2nd array here;
    String[][] three = // your 3rd array here;
    String[][] four = // your 4th array here;
    // This works with an arbitrary amount of arrays.
    String[][] merged1 = mergeArrays(String.class, one, two, three);
    String[][] merged2 = mergeArrays(String.class, one, two, three, four);