Search in ksh array

[Praveen Bezawada]

Hi
I have an array containing string entries
arr[0]=Entry1
arr[1]=Entry2
.
When given any string I need to check if that string is present in this array. In there any way of doing it apart from looping over the whole array.
Like in TCL we have,"array exists " Is there something of this syntax in ksh.
Any ideas or suggestions most welcome.

- Praveen

[Sanjay Kumar Suri]

I have following solution

testa[0]=first
testa[1]=second
echo ${testa[1]}
echo ${testa[*]} | grep first >/dev/null
echo $?
echo ${testa[*]} | grep third >/dev/null
echo $?

It will give following output

second
0 # true
1 # false

sks

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

It might help to first check, if the entry is in the array and do the looping only if there was something found.

if `echo ${arr[*]} | grep searchstring \
2>&1 >/dev/null`
then
go looping
fi

[i hope the [*] was the correct way to address every value in the array, can't test it right now.]

[Sanjay Kumar Suri]

Check this as well:

testa[0]=first
testa[1]=second
if `echo ${testa[*]} | grep ${testa[0]} > /dev/null`
then
echo "successful"
fi

sks

[Praveen Bezawada]

and perhaps
grep -x
won't hurt.

[Sanjay Kumar Suri]

No. It is hurting.

testa[0]=first
testa[1]=second
if `echo ${testa[*]} | grep -x ${testa[0]} > /dev/null`
then
echo "successful"
else
echo "unsuccessful"
fi

sks