How to split a string into array?

UNIX for Beginners Q & A
1 
value=malayalam

# i need to store the value in an array by splitting the character
#the output i need is

m
a
l
a
y
a
l
a
m
2

Hi,
In bash:

$ value=malayalam
$ arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done))
$ echo ${arr[@]}
m a l a y a l a m
$ printf "%c\n" ${arr[@]}
m
a
l
a
y
a
l
a
m

Regards.

3

Hey buddy,
i am not able to understand the script,could you plz explain me ?

4

arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done)) : implicit array declaration
arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done)) : sub-shell.
arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done)) : loop for.
arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done)) : number of characters in $value.
arr=($(for ((i=0;i<${#value};i++)) ; do echo ${value:$i:1} ; done)) : Expansion to a max of 1 character of variable value, from offset $i.
Regards.

5

Thanks buddy..

6 
arr=( $(echo $value | sed 's/[a-zA-Z]/& /g') )