Initializing fixed-size storage array given function parameter

Question

I would like to store an array of fixed size in my contract storage, with a user-defined size, initialized to all 0s. Here's an example contract:

pragma solidity ^0.4.24;

contract Test {
    constructor(uint size) {
        uint[size] storage arr;
        for (uint i = 0; i < size; i++) { arr[i] = 0 }
    }
}

My problem arises when declaring the array; remix gives this error:

TypeError: Invalid array length, expected integer literal or constant expression.

One workaround would be to declare the array outside of a function, but that would require it to be a dynamic array with no immediately accessible elements, which I don't want.

Is it possible to initialize arrays of this type in a constructor at all, and if so, how?

What's the alternate way to do the same?

Answer 1

I imagine you won't like this answer, but here goes anyway.

No. You can't.

I realize it's a contrived example, but the iteration over the array is also an anti-pattern. You did not explain your aversion to dynamic arrays and without further insight the use-case, it's not possible to know if mappings are possibly more appropriate or how to refactor the functions to ensure O(1) at any scale.

Hope it helps.