$array is used later in code not shown as it is not relevant to the question.

How that array would be used or accessed, is obviously very relevant to how it would be built. Yes, your code seems fixable, but it's not impossible that your code had to be rewritten (so it's more elegance, or faster, or more readable, or more efficient, whatever your goal) if we knew more information about what it's prepared for.

it sounds like you don't have an alternative to hardcoding the dimensions, either!

Oh, I'm sorry to dissapoint you. Just because I don't provide it here doesn't mean I don't have one. The things is, I refused to do what you might expected me to do due the reason I gave here. I'm not as wise as many monks here, but I'm free to choose how or what I reply, and you're free to choose any reply that most suits you, as well.

And why do you think my reply was solely to solve your problem? The reason I posted here is so we (and it's not just you and me) can all learn from each other, both our mistakes and rightness. That's what, as far as I understand it, a community-based forum is for.

Immediate update: I forgot to say that.... Nevertheless, you actually present a pretty interesting situation I upvoted the node.