Why this code does not generate any exception?

[Lalit Kapoor]

public class Q {
public static void main(String argv[]){

int anar[]=new int[]{1,2,3};

System.out.println(anar[2]);

}

}

The output of this code is 3. But why? As there is no third row in the two dimensional array. What is the reason behind this?

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Hi Lalit,

I don't see any two-dimensional arrays; "new int[]{1,2,3}" creates a one-dimensional array with three numbers in it. Creating a two-dimensional array with the bracket-initialization syntax would look like

int anar[][] = new int[][]{{1,2,3}, {4,5,6}, {7,8,9}};

or, more simply,

int anar[][] = {{1,2,3}, {4,5,6}, {7,8,9}};

[Tony Morris]

Java does not support multi-dimensional arrays.
http://www.xdweb.net/~dibblego/java/faq/answers.html#q45

[Nick George]

In that link, I am assured that

This distinction [that what might be mistakenly called multidemensional arrays are in fact arrays of arrays] is important in coming to terms with the Java programming language, and is not purely academic as some might suggest.

I am then presented with some pretty generic code using arrays of arrays, and informed that

It is important to realise, that in the above code sample, there is no "2 dimensional" array. There is an array whose elements are String arrays.

However, I am never told why this is important to realize. In what instance would this knowledge influence my use of arrays?
[ June 08, 2004: Message edited by: Joseph George ]

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

The difference influences what you can and can do as far as initializing and working with arrays, but mostly "around the edges." The distinction is unimportant for most straightforward uses. As the web page points out, a "2D" array doesn't have to be rectangular, and this influences how nested loops should be written, but only rare code exploits this fact.

C(++) supports both kinds of arrays, but (a) doesn't support Java's shortcut syntax for initializing the array-of-pointers-to-arrays kind, and (b) requires you to deallocate the memory for the sub-arrays manually, so in that language the distinction is much more important.

[Nick George]

[IDLE CURIOSITY]
how does a non-rectangular "2D" array work?
[\IDLE CURIOSITY]