I'm working with a simple square jagged array in PowerShell and I want to extract a square section of it. For instance, if I have the array defined like this:
`$M=@(@(1,2,3),@(4,5,6),@(7,8,9))`, I can easily get parts of it using the following commands:
`Write-Host $M[0][0..1]` which returns 1 2, and `Write-Host $M[1][0..1]` which returns 4 5.
However, when I try to slice along the first index using `Write-Host $M[0..1][0]`, it doesn't work as expected and returns 1 2 3 instead of just the first two elements from the first two arrays. I'm looking for a straightforward way to slice it so that I can get the output as "1 2 4 5" with the combined indices `M[0..1][0..1]`. Any tips? Thanks in advance!
1 Answer
The issue here stems from how you're accessing the jagged array. When you specify a range in the array index, you're actually getting a new array instead of accessing the elements directly. If you want to extract specific elements from both inner arrays, you can loop through the selected arrays and pull out the elements you need. Check this out:
```powershell
foreach ($innerArray in $M[0..1]) {
$innerArray[0..1]
}
```
This will give you the desired values, but make sure you're using the correct range operator to select the right elements. Alternatively, if you're unsure of your indices, you can strongly type your variable to ensure it always behaves as an array.
Great point about strongly typing! I've also heard about using the comma trick for single inner arrays. Just like:
```powershell
foreach ($innerArray in ,$M[0]) {
$innerArray[0..1]
}
```
That makes it easy to handle.