====== Arrays ======

Arrays must be defined using the ''DIM'' statement. As of the current version, maximum two-dimensional arrays are supported and both dimensions are limited to a length of 32767 elements. However, this is just a theoretical limit, in practice you'll run out of memory earlier. Arrays are zero-based (the first index is 0). Floats are not allowed as indices.

The syntax to define array is the following (note the square brackets):

  dim variable[x_len, y_len]

Example:

  dim myArr[100, 100]
  let myArr[15, 2] = 3420
  print myArr[15, 2]

Or:

  rem ** fill an array with consecutive numbers **
  dim myArr[10]
  for i=0 to 9
    let myArr[i] = i
  next i
  print "fetch number 5 from myArr: ", myArr[5]
  end

**''DIM'' does not initialize the array**, which means that if you read the value of an array member without previously assigning a value to it, you will get unexpected results. For example:

  dim a[10]
  print a[0]
  rem ** this will print an undefined number **

**Important note**: there is no runtime array bounds checking! The programmer has to make sure that the array subscript returns a number that is within the bounds of the array. Otherwise the result will be undefined.

===== Fast array lookup =====

If the variable and index are both byte types, the compiler can take advantage of the processor's indexed addressing mode resulting to much faster array load and store  operations.

For example:

  dim arr![255]
  fastindex! = 42
  slowindex = 42
  rem -- fast lookup
  item! = arr![fastindex!]
  rem -- slow lookup
  item! = arr![slowindex]