2d char array as return value

[Clint Westwood]

I declare and fill a 2d char array in array.cpp and want to pass it to the rest of my program. From what I've read so far there are various ways to do that but I want the following approach: array.cpp should be completely independent from the rest of the program, the only link between these parts should be a function that returns either my 2d array or a pointer to it.

This is my array.cpp at the moment:

// some global variables.

my_array [10][10000]; // declaring my array.

void init_array ()
{
   // fills array with data.
}

I want init_array to either return my_array or pointer to it. What also confuses me is even if I manage to pass my_array as return value, how am I going to copy it? Something like this shouldn't work as far as I'm awaare: my_array2 = my_array, so how is it done then?

Also, I guess returning a pointer should be a better idea, since if I return an array there basicly would be 2 arrays in memory, original one and a copy of it, right?

[LB]

Don't use C-style plain arrays in this case, they will cause you a lot of problems. Use a real object like std::vector so that you don't have to deal with the weird properties of plain arrays.

http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/vector/vector/
http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/container/vector