Iterate Dictionary Key-Value to Populate jagged arrays

Question

I want to convert the code below

string[][] mergeData = new string[][] {
                          new string[] { "phone", "date"},
                          new string[] { "0421 3359 129", DateTime.Now.ToString() } };

to

       Dictionary<string, string> list = new Dictionary<string, string>();

        list.Add("phone", "0421 3359 129");
        list.Add("date", DateTime.Now.ToString());


        string[][] mergeData = new string[2][];

        int i = 0;
        foreach(KeyValuePair<string, string> pair in list)
        {
            mergeData[0][i] = pair.Key;
            mergeData[1][i] = pair.Value;
        i++;
        }  

But i got error message

object reference not set to an instance of an object

I suspect it has something to do with my jagged array init. I don't know how to properly initiate jagged array. And I must used jagged array.

Please help. Thanks.

Answer 1

You get this message because the two individual arrays are not set in the constructor of the jagged array. Here is what you can do:

string[][] mergeData = new[] {
    new string[list.Count]
,   new string[list.Count]
};

This would create an array of two elements, each of the elements with list.Count elements of type string.