> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://trizen.gitbook.io/perl6-rosettacode/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://trizen.gitbook.io/perl6-rosettacode/programming_tasks/c/create_a_two-dimensional_array_at_runtime.md).

# Create a two-dimensional array at runtime

Line 1: The input parse doesn't care how you separate the dimensions as long as there are two distinct numbers.

Line 2: The list replication operator `xx` will automatically thunkify its left side so this produces new subarrays for each replication.

Line 3: Subscripting with a closure automatically passes the size of the dimension to the closure, so we pick an appropriate random index on each level.

Line 4: Print each line of the array.

```perl
my ($major,$minor) = prompt("Dimensions? ").comb(/\d+/);
my @array = [ '@' xx $minor ] xx $major;
@array[ *.rand ][ *.rand ] = ' ';
.say for @array;
```

Typical run:

```
Dimensions? 5x35
[@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @]
[@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @]
[@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @]
[@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @   @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @]
[@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @]
```

The most recent versions of Rakudo have preliminary support for 'shaped arrays'. Natively shaped arrays are a flexible feature for declaring typed, potentially multi-dimensional arrays, potentially with pre-defined dimensions. They will make memory-efficient matrix storage and matrix operations possible.

```perl
my ($major,$minor) = +«prompt("Dimensions? ").comb(/\d+/);
my Int @array[$major;$minor] = (7 xx $minor ) xx $major;
@array[$major div 2;$minor div 2] = 42;
say @array;
```

Typical run:

```
Dimensions? 3 x 10
[[7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7] [7 7 7 7 7 42 7 7 7 7] [7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7]]
```


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://trizen.gitbook.io/perl6-rosettacode/programming_tasks/c/create_a_two-dimensional_array_at_runtime.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.