type casting to a dynamic array

Question

Given the following:

Type
  TSomeTypeArray = array of SomeType;

var
  anArray: array of SomeType;

function GetSomeTypeArray: TSomeTypeArray;

I want to write anArray = GetSomeTypeArray(); but the compiler does not like it. Without changing the type of anArray or the return type of GetSomeTypeArrayhow can I typecast TSomeTypeArray to array of SomeType?

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 24 '11 at 10:18

6

You could typecast the left hand side of the assignment:

TSomeTypeArray(anArray) := GetSomeTypeArray();

answered Apr 24 '11 at 10:18

Dan Bartlett

826
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Left hand side typecast <- this blows my mind so much – user1249190 Nov 25 '14 at 04:51

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 12 '11 at 19:46

3

You can't. You need to declare anArray as of type TSomeTypeArray, then it should work.

Alternatively, you could store the result into another array of type TSomeTypeArray then call SetLength on anArray to the length of the returned array. And finally loop through the two arrays setting the elements of anArray to the elements of the returned array.

answered Apr 12 '11 at 19:46

Jim McKeeth

38,225
23
120
194

Yeah, sorry. AFAIK that is the only way, and since no one else piped in with an alternative . . . – Jim McKeeth Apr 20 '11 at 21:04

type casting to a dynamic array

2 Answers2