Korn Shell array syntax

[Greg Pierro]

Hello all,

If anyone can answer this it would be here. So, here is the question:

I have a script in which I set up numerous arrays. To make a long story short, I am trying to create a function (to be later used repeatedly inside of a long case statement) in which I refer to an array by using a scalar variable. Like so,

function FunctionName
{
echo "${$variable}[@]"
}

What I am trying to do is echo all the elements of the array determined by $variable. The shell is not letting me do this, no matter how I quote it, or add more braces, etc.

I know this might sound like giberish the way I am explaining it. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

greg

[Ramkumar Devanathan · Accepted solution]

Greg,

Here it is - take an idea from the line str='...' -

>>
$ cat k.sh
#!/usr/bin/ksh

set -A array `cut -d: -f1 /etc/passwd`

a="array" # setting array

str='${'$a'[@]}'

eval echo ${str[@]}
<<

To reference all element in a ksh-style array, use ${array[@]} not ${array}[@].

HTH.
- ramd.

[Greg Pierro]

Thanks. Looks good. I assigned you 10 points but the drop down flipped back to 8 for some reason. I must have double clutched. The eval command was what I needed.