malloc in C, but use multi-dimensional array synta

Question

Is there any way to malloc a large array, but refer to it with 2D syntax? I want something like:

int *memory = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int)*400*200);
int MAGICVAR = ...;
MAGICVAR[20][10] = 3; //sets the (200*20 + 10)th element

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UPDATE: This was important to mention: I just want to have one contiguous block of memory. I just don't want to write a macro like:

#define INDX(a,b) (a*200+b);

and then refer to my blob like:

memory[INDX(a,b)];

I'd much prefer:

memory[a][b];

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UPDATE: I understand the compiler has no way of knowing as-is. I'd be willing to supply extra information, something like:

int *MAGICVAR[][200] = memory;

Does no syntax like this exist? Note the reason I don't just use a fixed width array is that it is too big to place on the stack.

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UPDATE: OK guys, I can do this:

void toldyou(char MAGICVAR[][286][5]) {
  //use MAGICVAR
}

//from another function:
  char *memory = (char *)malloc(sizeof(char)*1820*286*5);
  fool(memory);

I get a warning, passing arg 1 of toldyou from incompatible pointer type, but the code works, and I've verified that the same locations are accessed. Is there any way to do this without using another function?

Answer 1

Working from Tim's and caf's answers, I'll leave this here for posterity:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

void Test0() {
    int                             c, i, j, n, r;
    int                             (*m)[ 3 ];

    r = 2;
    c = 3;

    m = malloc( r * c * sizeof(int) );

    for ( i = n = 0; i < r; ++i ) {
        for ( j = 0; j < c; ++j ) {
            m[ i ][ j ] = n++;
            printf( "m[ %d ][ %d ] == %d\n", i, j, m[ i ][ j ] );
        }
    }

    free( m );
}

void Test1( int r, int c ) {
    int                             i, j, n;

    int                             (*m)[ c ];

    m = malloc( r * c * sizeof(int) );

    for ( i = n = 0; i < r; ++i ) {
        for ( j = 0; j < c; ++j ) {
            m[ i ][ j ] = n++;
            printf( "m[ %d ][ %d ] == %d\n", i, j, m[ i ][ j ] );
        }
    }

    free( m );
}

void Test2( int r, int c ) {
    int                             i, j, n;

    typedef struct _M {
        int                         rows;
        int                         cols;

        int                         (*matrix)[ 0 ];
    } M;

    M *                             m;

    m = malloc( sizeof(M) + r * c * sizeof(int) );

    m->rows = r;
    m->cols = c;

    int                             (*mp)[ m->cols ] = (int (*)[ m->cols ]) &m->matrix;

    for ( i = n = 0; i < r; ++i ) {
        for ( j = 0; j < c; ++j ) {
            mp[ i ][ j ] = n++;
            printf( "m->matrix[ %d ][ %d ] == %d\n", i, j, mp[ i ][ j ] );
        }
    }

    free( m );
}

int main( int argc, const char * argv[] ) {
    int                             cols, rows;

    rows = 2;
    cols = 3;

    Test0();
    Test1( rows, cols );
    Test2( rows, cols );

    return 0;
}

Answer 2

In the same vein as Cogwheel's answer, here's a (somewhat dirty) trick that makes only one call to malloc():

#define ROWS 400
#define COLS 200
int** array = malloc(ROWS * sizeof(int*) + ROWS * COLS * sizeof(int));
int i;
for (i = 0; i < ROWS; ++i)
    array[i] = (int*)(array + ROWS) + (i * COLS);

This fills the first part of the buffer with pointers to each row in the immediately following, contiguous array data.