loading array values directly

[jacek]

what is the * for in the first statement?

namelist is an array of strings and strings in C are of char * type.

don't I need to write char *namelist[][] (two []-s)?

No, futhermore you can't declare a multidimentional array without specifying dimentions.

int wont_work[][] = { {1,2,3}, {4,5,6} }; // error
int will_work[][3] = { {1,2,3}, {4,5,6} };

int wont_work[][] = { {1,2,3}, {4,5,6} }; // error
int will_work[][3] = { {1,2,3}, {4,5,6} };

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is the comma necessary before the closing brace?

No.

is the semicolon necessary after the closing brace?

Yes.