Array Help

[peage1475]

Hello,

I am trying to write a program for a class that I am taking and I am having a little trouble with assigning values to an array. Here is the entirety of my code the highlighted area is where I am having the problem:

 
#region Using Directories
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;
#endregion

namespace Programming_Project_Text_Query
{
    public class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            string fileName;
            Console.WriteLine("Insert the text file name.");
            fileName = Console.ReadLine();
            try
            {
                StreamReader checkFile = new StreamReader(fileName);
                Concordance newIndex = new Concordance(fileName);
            }
            catch (FileNotFoundException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("File not found, please try again.");
                Console.WriteLine("\n");
                Main();
            }
        }
    }
    public class Concordance//: IDictionary   
    {
        public static StreamReader file;
        public Concordance(string f)
        {
            Dictionary<string, int[]> Concordance = new Dictionary<string, int[]>();
            FileInfo newFile = new FileInfo(f);
            file = newFile.OpenText();
            string[][] fileByWord = new string[findNumberOfLines()][];
            int L = 0;
            using (StreamReader file2 = newFile.OpenText())
            {
                string line = "";
                while ((line = file2.ReadLine()) != null)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(line);
                    string[] tempArray = new string[(line.Split(' ')).Length];
                    tempArray = line.Split(' ');
                    int arrayLength = tempArray.Length;
                    for (int W = 0; W < tempArray.Length; W++)
                    {
                        fileByWord[L][W] = tempArray[W];
                    }
                    L++;
                }
            }
        }

        #region findNumberOfLines() Method
        public static int findNumberOfLines()
        {
            int i = 0;
            string line = file.ReadLine();
            while (line != null)
            {
                i++;
                line = file.ReadLine();
            }
            return i;
        }
        #endregion
    }
}

When the program is run in debug mode the red colored code is highlighted and brings up the NullReferenceException was unhandled. Object reference not set to an instance of an object. Can anyone help me fix this becasue I have no idea what I did worng, and everything I try does not work.
Thanks

[gaylo565]

I think your problem is that the array is never set to a static number of rows. You can have a dynamic array but you must have an initial value when you start using the array.

" string[][] fileByWord = new string[findNumberOfLines()][];"

where u instantiate the array u can put a 0 for the # of rows and then it will set its own value as you add records...it should end up largest split length that the file has...I hope this helps some and someone let me know if i'm way off
ps...i didnt try to see if it worked cuz i have VS 2003 wich doesn't contain the collections.generic namespace.

another thing is u set an int for the array length but don't use it in your for statement. I dont think this is responsible for the error message your getting but it could cause another 1

[peage1475]

yeah that was the problem, and i fixed it. thanks for your help

[Xav]

Well done, gaylo565. +rep given.