c++ - How would I go on as to "return" string arrays between functions? -

hey experimenting knew , realized when tried passing string value return wasn't supported, idea? sorry if code noob style (i have 2 months of experience), planning on splitting code between functions can't seem because returning array of strings cant done return :( here's code:

    #include <iostream> #include <math.h> #include <sstream> using namespace std; int itemlist=0;   int c=0; int r = 0;    int itemlistdec() { cout<<"how many items input?"; cin>>itemlist;   return itemlist; }   int main() {   itemlistdec(); string item[4][itemlist];//declares item , columns equal itemlist content declared right above      (int c=0;c<itemlist;c++)     {          (int r=0;r<3;r++) //determines each record goes         {         if (r==0)         {          cout<<"please enter name of item ";         }          if (r==1)         {             cout<<"please input buying price\n";         }          if (r==2)         {             cout<<"please input selling price\n";         }              cin>>item[r][c];          }     }      int calc[3][itemlist];//declaring calc , itemlist      (int r = 0;r<itemlist;r++)     {         istringstream(item[1][r])>>calc[0][r]; //takes buying price int array calculation      }      (int r = 0;r<itemlist;r++)     {         istringstream(item[2][r])>>calc[1][r]; //takes selling price int array calculation      }      (int fart = 0;fart<itemlist;fart++)     {         calc[2][fart] = calc[1][fart] - calc[0][fart]; //repeats calculation profit until itemlist reached     }       (int r = 0;r<itemlist;r++)     {      stringstream ss;     ss<<calc[2][r]; //converts both profit values strings     item[3][r] = ss.str();      }       cout<<"______________________________________________\n"; //displays output in table form     cout<<"item\t\tbuying price\t\tselling price\t\tprofit\n";          (int c=0;c<itemlist;c++)     {           (int r=0;r<4;r++)         {              cout<<item[r][c]<<"\t\t";             if (r==1)             {                 cout<<"\t";             }             if (r==2)             {                 cout<<"\t";             }             if (r==3)             {                 cout<<"\n";             }         }     }         return 0; } 

i think can use vector, it's powerful. that:

std::vector<std::vector<std::string> > mysecondvector; std::vector<std::string> myfirstvector; myfirstvector.push_back("mystring"); mysecondvector.push_back(myfirstvector); mysecondvector[i][j]; // access 

and add, access element watch on http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/vector/vector/