How to dynamically allocate a 3D array in C++

Prerequisite: Array Basics
In C/C++, multidimensional arrays in simple words as an array of arrays. Data in multidimensional arrays are stored in tabular form (in row major order). Below is the general form of declaring N-dimensional arrays:

Syntax of a Multidimensional Array:

data_type  array_name[size1][size2]….[sizeN];

data_type: Type of data to be stored in the array. 
Here data_type is valid C/C++ data type
array_name: Name of the array
size1, size2, …, sizeN: Sizes of the dimensions

3-D arrays are an array of Double dimensional arrays:

Syntax of a 3D array:

data_type array_name[x][y][z];
data_type: Type of data to be stored. Valid C/C++ data type.

For more details on multidimensional and, 3D arrays, please refer to the Multidimensional Arrays in C++ article.

Problem: Given a 3D array, the task is to dynamically allocate memory for a 3D array using new in C++.

Solution: In the following methods, the approach used is to make two 2-D arrays and each 2-D array is having 3 rows and 4 columns with the following values.

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24

X = No of 2D arrays.
Y = No of rows of each 2D array.
Z = No of columns of each 2D array.

Method 1: using single pointer – In this method, a memory block of size x*y*z is allocated and then the memory blocks are accessed using pointer arithmetic. Below is the program for the same:

C++

// C++ program to dynamically allocate
// the memory for 3D array in C++
// using new operator
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Driver Code
int main()
{
    // Dimensions of the 3D array
    int x = 2, y = 3, z = 4;
    int count = 0;

    // Allocate memory blocks
    // of size x*y*z
    int* a = new int[x * y * z];

    // Traverse the 3D array
    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {
            for (int k = 0; k < z; k++) {

                // Assign values to the
                // memory blocks created
                *(a + i * y * z + j * z + k) = ++count;
            }
        }
    }

    // Traverse the 3D array again
    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {
            for (int k = 0; k < z; k++) {

                // Print values of the
                // memory blocks created
                cout << *(a + i * y * z + j * z + k) << " ";
            }
            cout << endl;
        }
        cout << endl;
    }

    // Deallocate memory
    delete[] a;

    return 0;
}

Output:

1 2 3 4 
5 6 7 8 
9 10 11 12 

13 14 15 16 
17 18 19 20 
21 22 23 24

Method 2: using triple pointer – Below is the diagram to illustrate the concept: 

Below is the program for the same: 

C++

// C++ program to dynamically allocate
// the memory for 3D array in C++
// using new operator
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Driver Code
int main()
{

    // Dimensions of the 3D array
    int x = 2, y = 3, z = 4;
    int count = 0;

    // Allocate memory blocks of size
    // x i.e., no of 2D Arrays
    int*** a = new int**[x];

    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {

        // Allocate memory blocks for
        // rows of each 2D array
        a[i] = new int*[y];

        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {

            // Allocate memory blocks for
            // columns of each 2D array
            a[i][j] = new int[z];
        }
    }

    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {
            for (int k = 0; k < z; k++) {

                // Assign values to the
                // memory blocks created
                a[i][j][k] = ++count;
            }
        }
    }

    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {
            for (int k = 0; k < z; k++) {

                // Print values of the
                // memory blocks created
                cout << a[i][j][k] << " ";
            }
            cout << endl;
        }
        cout << endl;
    }

    // Deallocate memory
    for (int i = 0; i < x; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < y; j++) {
            delete[] a[i][j];
        }
        delete[] a[i];
    }
    delete[] a;

    return 0;
}

Output:

1 2 3 4 
5 6 7 8 
9 10 11 12 

13 14 15 16 
17 18 19 20 
21 22 23 24