#279 – Passing a Multidimensional Array to a Method

You can pass multi-dimensional arrays to methods.  Like arrays with a single dimension, the array is passed by value, with a copy of the reference passed to the method.  This means that the method can change elements in the array.

Here’s an example of a method that takes a two-dimensional array as an input parameter.

        public static void CountPawns(ChessPiece[,] chessboard, out int redPawns, out int blackPawns)
        {
            redPawns = 0;
            blackPawns = 0;

            for (int row = 0; row < 8; row++)
                for (int col = 0; col < 8; col++)
                {
                    ChessPiece piece = chessboard[row,col];
                    if (piece != null)
                    {
                        if (piece.PieceType == PieceTypeEnum.Pawn)
                        {
                            if (piece.PieceColor == PieceColorEnum.Red)
                                redPawns++;
                            else
                                blackPawns++;
                        }
                    }
                }
        }

When calling the method, you just pass the name of the array to the method.

            ChessPiece[,] board = new ChessPiece[8, 8];

            board[0, 1] = new ChessPiece(PieceTypeEnum.King, PieceColorEnum.Red);
            // continue to set up board here

            int redPawns;
            int blackPawns;
            Chess.CountPawns(board, out redPawns, out blackPawns);