2d vector/array

The problem might be that you are not allocating space for the string when inserting it into the vector. That might be the reason you are getting general exception when trying to access the array. A simple solution to the problem would be to use std::string.

vector< vector< std::string > >;

This will allow you to enter std::strings into your 2D vector. I personally wouldn't take this approach, but it is simple and you do not have to worry about allocating space for the string.

The other problem might be that when you have a vector >, you need to put vector's into it so that they can in turn hold the x's.

Although I can't tell you too much unless you are more specific about how it "didn't work".

Anyway, you might be interested in boost::multi_array. That container enforces rectangularity; a vector of vectors is explicitly not rectangular.