The Associative option

In the Array Creation tab, you will see the Associative option in the Properties panel. This option has a special significance to the Array tool:

While making an Array, if you keep the Associative option checked, you will get an associative Array, which works as a composite object, and selecting any one object in the Array will select the whole Array, as shown:

However, if you uncheck this option at the time of making the Array, then all of the objects in the Array will be independent of each other. So, in a non-associative Array, if you select any object from the Array, then only that object will be selected.

An associative Array also lets you modify the Array even after you have finished making it. If you select an Array that is associative, you will get a new Array tab, which can be used to again modify the existing Array. The same thing will not happen with a non-associative Array:

If you have an associative Array—where selecting any object selects all the objects of the Array—and you want to convert this type of Array into a simple Array where all objects are separate, then you can do so using the explode tool. Select the associative Array from your drawing area then type X and press Enter. Here, X is the command alias of the explode command. You can also use the explode command from the Modify panel of the Home tab.

Now, the Array that you will get will have all objects independent of the Array. This type of Array will also lose its ability to be modified.