7.4.8 Export and import of arrays
Exporting and importing the elements of an array into a binary file - whose extension you can freely choose - is considered synonymously as exporting and importing an array.
When exporting and importing arrays into a file, a consistent distinction must be made between native and derived arrays. The reason for this is that the elements of a native array are always of a native data type and can be stored, because Gambas 3 supports the 'serialization' of variables of native data types. The elements of derived arrays, however, are objects that cannot be stored - but their object properties, if they are of a native data type.
A tried and tested way to export an array to a file is to save the contents of an array in a csv file. The exported data can be read with all editors, because a csv file is a text file. From this csv-file it is possible to import the data back into an array. Suggestions for this export-import variant can be found in –> chapter 17.7.6 GridView - Data Export and in chapter –> 17.7.7 GridView - Data Import from a csv file.
Two projects are presented for the export and import of a native and a derived array. An internal data check and a sophisticated error management (Finally, Catch, etc.) is deliberately omitted in order to concentrate only on exporting, importing and displaying the arrays.