javascript multidimensional associative array

Question

So I have

var arrays = [
    [ Material A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  ],
    [ Material B, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10  ],
    [ Material C, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15  ]
];

and I need to put it in this format which is a multidimensional associative array,

var bigdata = [
    { "Name": "MaterialA", "Row1": 1, "Row2": 2, "Row3": 3, "Row4": 4, "Row5": 5 },
    { "Name": "MaterialB", "Row1": 6, "Row2": 7, "Row3": 8, "Row4": 9, "Row5": 10 },
    { "Name": "MaterialC", "Row1": 11, "Row2": 12, "Row3": 13, "Row4": 14, "Row5": 15 }
];

I am trying

var bigdata = new Array(3);         

for (i=0; i<3; i++)
{
    // do name
    bigdata[i][0] = {"Name" : arrays[i][0]};

    for (j=1; j<6; j++ )
    {
        // rest of that row         
    }
}

But so far it is not working when I try to store the first "Name": "MaterialA" . What am I doing wrong or can this even be done? Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

This is working for me. Notice I removed the [0] from your bigdata[i][0] , and added the row assignment code to your "j" loop.

for (i=0; i<3; i++)
{
    // do name
    bigdata[i] = {"Name" : arrays[i][0]};

    for (j=1; j<6; j++ )
    {
        // rest of that row
        bigdata[i]['Row' + j] = arrays[i][j];
    }
}

JSFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/ub54S/1/

Answer 2

The proper way to set a property of an associative array/object is like this:

bigdata[i]["Property"] = value   // this allows dynamic property name
bigdata[i].Property = value      // or like this, if property is hard-coded

So in your case, it should be:

bigdata[i] = {}   // initialize a blank object
bigdata[i].Name = arrays[i][0];

for ( j=1; j<6; j++ )
    bigdata[i]["Row" + j] = arrays[i][j];

Here is a demo: http://jsfiddle.net/56tk5/