Store text file into a datastructure using Shell script

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

i have a text file and want to store it in a appropriate data structure (2-d is preferable) . The contents are as follows.. plzzz suggest an appropriate way to store the contents by using shell scripting (bash shell)

text file

Abc Def Ghi Hjk
Lmn Opq Rst Uvw
.... ..... .... ....
.... .... .... ...

length unknown

2

No 2D arrays in shell but you can create an array of arrays.
Does your file have 4 columns ?
To know the best way to store the data, we'll have to know what kind of process you want to applicate to the data.

3

plzz give me an example of arrays out of array ..
my file contain 4 col and i have to generate a xml file form it..

4

example

NB=1
while read -a LINE # -a to put it in an array
do
	DATA[$NB]="${LINE[@]}"
	(( NB ++ ))
done

That puts every line in an array (LINE) and you put every LINE array in an array named DATA.

To get the data in [X,Y] :

LINE=${DATA[$Y]}
VALUE=${LINE[$X]}