Array initializing in Scala

ScalaArray Initialization

Scala Problem Overview


I'm new to Scala ,just started learning it today.I would like to know how to initialize an array in Scala.

Example Java code

String[] arr = { "Hello", "World" };

What is the equivalent of the above code in Scala ?

Scala Solutions


Solution 1 - Scala

scala> val arr = Array("Hello","World")
arr: Array[java.lang.String] = Array(Hello, World)

Solution 2 - Scala

To initialize an array filled with zeros, you can use:

> Array.fill[Byte](5)(0)
Array(0, 0, 0, 0, 0)

This is equivalent to Java's new byte[5].

Solution 3 - Scala

Can also do more dynamic inits with fill, e.g.

Array.fill(10){scala.util.Random.nextInt(5)} 

==>

Array[Int] = Array(0, 1, 0, 0, 3, 2, 4, 1, 4, 3)

Solution 4 - Scala

Additional to Vasil's answer: If you have the values given as a Scala collection, you can write

val list = List(1,2,3,4,5)
val arr = Array[Int](list:_*)
println(arr.mkString)

But usually the toArray method is more handy:

val list = List(1,2,3,4,5)
val arr = list.toArray
println(arr.mkString)

Solution 5 - Scala

If you know Array's length but you don't know its content, you can use

val length = 5
val temp = Array.ofDim[String](length)

If you want to have two dimensions array but you don't know its content, you can use

val row = 5
val column = 3
val temp = Array.ofDim[String](row, column)

Of course, you can change String to other type.

If you already know its content, you can use

val temp = Array("a", "b")

Solution 6 - Scala

Another way of declaring multi-dimentional arrays:

Array.fill(4,3)("")

res3: Array[Array[String]] = Array(Array("", "", ""), Array("", "", ""),Array("", "", ""), Array("", "", ""))

Solution 7 - Scala

[Consolidating all the answers]

Initializing 1-D Arrays

// With fixed values
val arr = Array("a", "ab", "c")

// With zero value of the type
val size = 13
val arrWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Int](size) //values = 0
val arrBoolWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Boolean](size) //values = false

// With default value
val defVal = -1
val arrWithDefVals = Array.fill[Int](size)(defVal)

//With random values
val rand = scala.util.Random
def randomNumberGen: Int = rand.nextInt(5)
val arrWithRandomVals = Array.fill[Int](size){randomNumberGen}

Initializing 2-D/3-D/n-D Arrays

// With zero value of the type
val arr3dWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Int](5, 4, 3) 

// With default value
val defVal = -1
val arr3dWithDefVal = Array.fill[Int](5, 4, 3)(defVal)

//With random values
val arr3dWithRandomValv = Array.fill[Int](5, 4, 3){randomNumberGen}

Conclusion : Use Array.ofDim[TYPE](d1, d2, d3...) to use zero value of the type. Use Array.fill[TYPE](d1, d2, d3...)(functionWhichReturnsTYPE) otherwise

Output for reference :

scala> val arr = Array("a", "ab", "c")
arr: Array[String] = Array(a, ab, c)

scala> val size = 13
size: Int = 13

scala> val arrWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Int](size) //values = 0
arrWithZeroVal: Array[Int] = Array(0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0)

scala> val arrBoolWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Boolean](size) //values = false
arrBoolWithZeroVal: Array[Boolean] = Array(false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false)

scala> val defVal = -1
defVal: Int = -1

scala> val arrWithDefVals = Array.fill[Int](size)(defVal)
arrWithDefVals: Array[Int] = Array(-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1)

scala> val rand = scala.util.Random
rand: util.Random.type = scala.util.Random$@6e3dd5ce

scala> def randomNumberGen: Int = rand.nextInt(5)
randomNumberGen: Int

scala> val arrWithRandomVals = Array.fill[Int](size){randomNumberGen}
arrWithRandomVals: Array[Int] = Array(2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2, 0)

scala> val arr3dWithZeroVal = Array.ofDim[Int](5, 4, 3) 
arr3dWithZeroVal: Array[Array[Array[Int]]] = Array(Array(Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0)), Array(Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0)), Array(Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0)), Array(Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0)), Array(Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 0)))

scala> val arr3dWithDefVal = Array.fill[Int](5, 4, 3)(defVal)
arr3dWithDefVal: Array[Array[Array[Int]]] = Array(Array(Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1)), Array(Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1)), Array(Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1)), Array(Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1)), Array(Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1), Array(-1, -1, -1)))

scala> val arr3dWithRandomVals = Array.fill[Int](5, 4, 3){randomNumberGen}
arr3dWithRandomVals: Array[Array[Array[Int]]] = Array(Array(Array(2, 0, 0), Array(4, 1, 0), Array(4, 0, 0), Array(0, 0, 1)), Array(Array(0, 1, 2), Array(2, 0, 2), Array(0, 4, 2), Array(0, 4, 2)), Array(Array(4, 3, 0), Array(2, 2, 4), Array(4, 0, 4), Array(4, 2, 1)), Array(Array(0, 3, 3), Array(0, 0, 4), Array(4, 1, 3), Array(2, 2, 3)), Array(Array(0, 2, 3), Array(1, 4, 1), Array(1, 3, 3), Array(0, 0, 3)))

Attributions

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Content TypeOriginal AuthorOriginal Content on Stackoverflow
QuestionEmilView Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - ScalaVasil RemeniukView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - ScalaMartin KonicekView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - ScalaDino FancelluView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - ScalaLandeiView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - ScalaHaimeiView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Scalaakshat thakarView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - ScalaN AView Answer on Stackoverflow