RPG lacks one feature that other languages have had for a long time- multidimensional arrays. If you need them, you can use single-dimensional arrays instead. The trick is to convert the multidimensional subscripts to single subscripts.

Let's say you need a two-dimensional array that has three rows and five columns. You can use a 15-element, one-dimensional array instead. Row 1 goes in elements 1-5, row 2 in 6-10, and row 3 in 11-15.

To access element (R,C) use the calculation (R-1) * row length + C to find the subscript to the one-dimensional array. In this example, row length is 5 because there are five elements per row. So element (2,4) would be found at (2- 1) * 5 + 4, or element 9 of the one-dimensional array

Ted Holt is IT manager of Manufacturing Systems Development for Day-Brite Capri Omega, a manufacturer of lighting fixtures in Tupelo, Mississippi. He has worked in the information processing industry since 1981 and is the author or co-author of seven books. 

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