SYNOPSIS
========
   mixed * allocate(int size                    )
   mixed * allocate(int size,   mixed init_value)
   mixed * allocate(int *sizes                  )
   mixed * allocate(int *sizes, mixed init_value)

DESCRIPTION
===========
   Allocate an array of size elements. The number of elements must be >= 0 and
   not bigger than a system maximum (usually 1000).

   If init_value(E) is given, all array elements will be set to this value (if
   init_value(E) is an array or mapping, a shallow copy will be created for 
   each element), otherwise they all will be 0.

   In the second form (using an array of sizes instead of one size), the efun 
   will allocate a multidimensional array, that is an array of arrays.

   Obsolete:  
     this function is hardly needed anymore, because arrays can be added by 
     the + operator, and can be constructed and initialized by 
     the `({ })` operator. The functions only use is to construct big empty 
     arrays.

   USAGE
   =====
         string *buffer;
         buffer = allocate(50);
         buffer = allocate(50, "");

         buffer = allocate( ({ 2, 3 }) )
           --> ({ ({ 0, 0, 0 }), ({ 0, 0, 0 }) })

HISTORY
=======
   - changed (3.2.9) -- added the initialization value and the multi-
     dimensional allocation.

SEE ALSO
========
   sizeof(E)