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# VecGetArrayRead
Get read-only pointer to contiguous array containing this processor's portion of the vector data.
## Synopsis
```
#include "petscvec.h"
PetscErrorCode VecGetArrayRead(Vec x, const PetscScalar **a)
```
Not Collective
## Input Parameter
- ***x -*** the vector
## Output Parameter
- ***a -*** the array
## Notes
The array must be returned using a matching call to `VecRestoreArrayRead()`.
Unlike `VecGetArray()`, preserves cached information like vector norms.
Standard PETSc vectors use contiguous storage so that this routine does not perform a copy. Other vector
implementations may require a copy, but such implementations should cache the contiguous representation so that
only one copy is performed when this routine is called multiple times in sequence.
## Fortran Note
`VecGetArrayRead()` Fortran binding is deprecated (since PETSc 3.19), use `VecGetArrayReadF90()`
## See Also
[](ch_vectors), `Vec`, `VecGetArrayReadF90()`, `VecGetArray()`, `VecRestoreArray()`, `VecGetArrayPair()`, `VecRestoreArrayPair()`
## Level
beginner
## Location
src/vec/vec/interface/rvector.c
## Examples
src/dm/field/tutorials/ex1.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex6.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex8.c
src/dm/tutorials/ex22.c
src/dm/tutorials/swarm_ex3.c
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex10.c
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex35.cxx
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex36.cxx
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex70.c
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex71.c
src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex73.c
---
[Edit on GitLab](https://gitlab.com/petsc/petsc/-/edit/release/src/vec/vec/interface/rvector.c)
[Index of all Vec routines](index.md)
[Table of Contents for all manual pages](/manualpages/index.md)
[Index of all manual pages](/manualpages/singleindex.md)