Parameter Problem With an Array Variable

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi,

I have two bash shell scripts:

test:

rrdhcp78-120:test_data msb65$ cat ~/bin/test
#!/bin/sh

array1=()
echo 'elements in array1:' ${#array1[@]}

~/bin/test2 $array1

test2:

rrdhcp78-120:test_data msb65$ cat ~/bin/test2
#!/bin/sh

array2=${1}
echo 'elements in array2:' ${#array2[@]}

When I run test:

rrdhcp78-120:test_data msb65$ ~/bin/test
elements in array1: 0
elements in array2: 1

Why is it that "array1" initially has 0 elements, but when I export the variable to test2, assign it to variable "array2", it then has 1 element?

2

Cleaning up to make eaiser to read:

test


array1=()
echo 'elements in array1:' ${#array1[@]}

~/bin/test2 $array1

test2

#!/bin/sh

array2=${1}
echo 'elements in array2:' ${#array2[@]}

When I run test:

rrdhcp78-120:test_data msb65$ ~/bin/test
elements in array1: 0
elements in array2: 1

Why is it that "array1" initially has 0 elements, but when I export the variable to test2, assign it to variable "array2", it then has 1 element?

3

There is nothing in array1...

array1=()

Passing NULL?? maybe

~/bin/test2 $array1
4

If your passing an array you will want this: (once there is something in it)

~/bin/test2 "$array1"
5

Hi,

Thanks for your help! However, that only seems to pass the first element of the array.

6 
~/bin/test2 "${array1[@]}"