C# error creating an array

Question

I need to assign values to a two-dimensional array. I can do it using multiple "myArray[x,y]" statements but I'd like to use another method (because I'll have arrays with many lines/columns) - see code:

int x;
x = 1;

string[,] myArray = new string[2, 2]; 


if (x == 1)
  {

    //does not work : why? Would be easier to populate a big array using this
    //myArray=
    //{
    // {"1", "1" },
    // {"1", "1" }
    //} ;

    //works, but I need above code to work if possible
    myArray[0, 0] = "1";
    myArray[0, 1] = "1";
    myArray[1, 0] = "1";
    myArray[1, 1] = "1";
    }

else if (x == 2)

    //does not work
    //myArray=
    //{
     //{"2", "2" },
     //{"2", "2" }
    //} ;

    myArray[0, 0] = "2";
    myArray[0, 1] = "2";
    myArray[1, 0] = "2";
    myArray[1, 1] = "2";
    }


MessageBox.Show(myArray[0,0]);

thanks

Answer 1

As you mentioned that you need to use it in that way, then you can do a workaround by declaring a temp variable initialize the values on it and then set the temp variable to the public one, like below:

int x;
x = 1;

string[,] myArray = new string[2, 2]; 

if (x == 1)
    {
         string[,] myArrayTemp = {     {"1", "1" },     {"1", "1" }    };
    }
else if (x == 2)
{
      string[,] myArrayTemp = {     {"2", "2" },     {"2", "2" }    };
      myArray = myArrayTemp;    
}