Initialize C++/CLI array of structures - c++-cli

Question

I wish to partially initialize an array of structures like in a C++ POD type. The String^ would normally be a char* but managed C++ doesn't allow that.
#include "stdafx.h"
using namespace System;
ref struct Field
{
String^ name;
int fences;
int length;
};
int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
array<Field^>^ farm =
{
{ "eenie", 10 },
{ "meenie", 20 },
{ "miny", 4 }
};
for each (Field^ field in farm)
{
field->length = field->fences * 22;
}
return 0;
}
This results in
1>arrayinit.cpp(18): error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'const char [6]' to 'Field ^'
1> Reason: cannot convert from 'const char *' to 'Field ^'
1> No user-defined-conversion operator available, or
1> Cannot convert an unmanaged type to a managed type
So I tried
#include "stdafx.h"
using namespace System;
ref struct Field
{
String^ name;
int fences;
int length;
};
int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
array<Field^>^ farm =
{
{ String("eenie"), 10 },
{ String("meenie"), 20 },
{ String("miny"), 4 }
};
for each (Field^ field in farm)
{
field->length = field->fences * 22;
}
return 0;
}
Now I get
1>arrayinit.cpp(18): error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'System::String' to 'Field ^'
1> No user-defined-conversion operator available, or
1> No user-defined-conversion operator available that can perform this conversion, or the operator cannot be called
1>arrayinit.cpp(18): error C2078: too many initializers
Almost every example I've looked at only tells how to initialize an array of strings or integers. I haven't found out a way of initializing an array of structures containing strings.
Is there a simple way of doing this or do I have to create a special constructor and gcnew every element?

Answer 1

I found that I can gcnew every element with a special constructor. Is there a simpler way of doing this similar to a POD initialization?
#include "stdafx.h"
using namespace System;
ref struct Field
{
String^ name;
int fences;
int length;
Field(String^ x, int in_fences)
{
name = x;
fences = in_fences;
}
};
int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
array<Field^>^ farm =
{
gcnew Field("eenie", 10 ),
gcnew Field("meenie", 20 ),
gcnew Field("miny", 4 )
};
for each (Field^ field in farm)
{
field->length = field->fences * 22;
}
return 0;
}
Alternatively, if Field is changed to a value instead of a reference,
#include "stdafx.h"
using namespace System;
value struct Field
{
String^ name;
int fences;
int length;
Field(String^ x, int in_fences)
{
name = x;
fences = in_fences;
}
void Init()
{
length = fences * 22;
}
};
int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)
{
array<Field>^ farm =
{
Field("eenie", 10 ),
Field("meenie", 20 ),
Field("miny", 4 )
};
for each (Field% field in farm)
{
field.Init();
}
return 0;
}
This is slightly better than gcnewing every field.