\HeaderA{array}{Multi-way Arrays}{array}
\aliasA{as.array}{array}{as.array}
\aliasA{is.array}{array}{is.array}
\keyword{array}{array}
\begin{Description}\relax
Creates or tests for arrays.
\end{Description}
\begin{Usage}
\begin{verbatim}
array(data = NA, dim = length(data), dimnames = NULL)
as.array(x)
is.array(x)
\end{verbatim}
\end{Usage}
\begin{Arguments}
\begin{ldescription}
\item[\code{data}] a vector (including a list) giving data to fill the array.
\item[\code{dim}] the dim attribute for the array to be created, that is a
vector of length one or more giving the maximal indices in
each dimension.
\item[\code{dimnames}] the names for the dimensions. This is a list with one
component for each dimension, either NULL or a character vector of
the length given by \code{dim} for that dimension.  The list can be
names, and the names will be used as names for the dimensions.
\item[\code{x}] an \R{} object.
\end{ldescription}
\end{Arguments}
\begin{Value}
\code{array} returns an array with the extents specified in \code{dim}
and naming information in \code{dimnames}.  The values in \code{data} are
taken to be those in the array with the leftmost subscript moving
fastest.  If there are too few elements in \code{data} to fill the array,
then the elements in \code{data} are recycled.  If \code{data} has
length zero, \code{NA} of an appropriate type is used for atomic
vectors (\code{0} for raw vectors) and \code{NULL} for lists.

\code{as.array()} coerces its argument to be an array by attaching a
\code{\LinkA{dim}{dim}} attribute to it.  It also attaches
\code{\LinkA{dimnames}{dimnames}} if \code{x} has \code{\LinkA{names}{names}}.
The sole purpose of this is to make it possible to access the
\code{dim}[names] attribute at a later time.

\code{is.array} returns \code{TRUE} or \code{FALSE} depending on
whether its argument is an array (i.e., has a \code{dim} attribute)
or not. It is generic: you can write methods to handle
specific classes of objects, see \LinkA{InternalMethods}{InternalMethods}.
\end{Value}
\begin{References}\relax
Becker, R. A., Chambers, J. M. and Wilks, A. R. (1988)
\emph{The New S Language}.
Wadsworth \& Brooks/Cole.
\end{References}
\begin{SeeAlso}\relax
\code{\LinkA{aperm}{aperm}}, \code{\LinkA{matrix}{matrix}},
\code{\LinkA{dim}{dim}}, \code{\LinkA{dimnames}{dimnames}}.
\end{SeeAlso}
\begin{Examples}
\begin{ExampleCode}
dim(as.array(letters))
array(1:3, c(2,4)) # recycle 1:3 "2 2/3 times"
#     [,1] [,2] [,3] [,4]
#[1,]    1    3    2    1
#[2,]    2    1    3    2
\end{ExampleCode}
\end{Examples}

