[comp.lang.modula2] runtime bounds on arrays

sam@utcsri.UUCP (08/25/87)

Can anyone out there tell me whether there is any form of dynamic arrays
in Modula-2?  Specifically, if it will only be known at run-time how large
a certain array needs to be (it is given as user input, or something), can
you do something like
     PROCEDURE p(N:CARDINAL);
       VAR x:ARRAY [0..N] OF  ...blah...
and simply pass the required size of x as the parameter to p?  I can find
nothing in Wirth or any other reference I can find saying that you cannot,
and the syntax allows it.  It seems like such a common situation that I
cannot imagine that the language would prevent me from doing it, yet the
compiler I have barfs when I try (admittedly it is an experimental
compiler).  So which is broken, the compiler or the language?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-- 
                              -Sam Weber

UUCP: {ihnp4 utzoo decwrl uw-beaver}!utcsri!sam
ARPA: sam@csri.toronto.edu
CSNET: sam@toronto