# select

## Category
Array / String

## Arity
**Binary** — `<array|string> select <index>`.

```
<array> select <index>
<string> select <index>
```

## Description
Returns the element at the given zero-based index from an array, or the character at the given index from a string. **Out-of-range index returns `nil`** (no error thrown — matches Arma SQF behavior).

## How It Works
- **Array**: bounds-checks the index. Returns `array[index]`. O(1).
- **String**: bounds-checks the index. Returns single-character string via `string[index].ToString()`. O(1).
- **Out of range**: returns `nil` silently (no exception).

## Usage

### Array element access
```sqf
_arr = ["a", "b", "c"];
_first = _arr select 0;          // "a"
_second = _arr select 1;         // "b"
_last = _arr select (count _arr - 1);  // "c"

_oob = _arr select 99;           // nil (out of range)
```

### String character access
```sqf
_name = "Arma";
_char0 = _name select 0;         // "A"
_char2 = _name select 2;         // "m"
```

### Safe access with nil guard
```sqf
_val = _arr select _index;
if (!isNil "_val") then {
    process(_val);
};
```

### In loop
```sqf
for "_i" from 0 to (count _arr - 1) do {
    _elem = _arr select _i;
    systemChat f"Element {_i}: {_elem}";
};
```

## Thread Safety
ReadOnly — pure query. Safe from any scheduler.

## See Also
- [count](count.md) — array/string length
- [find](find.md) — search for element
- [in](in.md) — membership check
- [set](set.md) — modify element at index
- [deleteAt](deleteAt.md) — remove element at index