Top posting as I'm kinda going out of band of the thread here; Having read the discussion, I guess the issue I brought up really isn't a "bug" (though Greg's points probably should be considered bugs). I'll preface this by saying I'm not an expert in bash by any means. However, most languages have a garbage collection facility which cleans up anonymous refs with nothing pointing to it and most high level languages make it easier to make a soft or symbolic reference than making hard references. But also, when you 'undef'/delete()/whatever the variable or the pointer, handle both and avoid this issue. While I do like the idea of pointers for bash variables, I would much prefer being able to create references. Also, whatever happens, I think there should also be a way to test for variable type (either another test flag or something like perl's ref() ).
Feel free to flame me and say 'go away' if I'm off the mark with how this should be handled :)
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: GnuPG v1 mQMuBFDPieoRCACpmirxE3mrgdr2QZ1EuKOdD7m9nTsnXOVBkezonaDH/iEDlvZE KAiS3cuZKJ9aQ5rsfs12fX62Gnj9ulRcNr3lBc8LdgGFiq84wodF25faaUc43HDS 04tOhXpzH5f62tSUAIFpTggbIWbawH0Ojl96G5RivUS1RY5eObrH3mH/MmiT++r1 tRrviDlJ8P/qmimF6AejV/H0w5HmEpUUx1n1Rl+RndVCdjT2s5eOsFdsCRJJLJBi LPVmJufvaL6Xk27BKjCz6Msn8JqaM9vKYO894M7KCKGSS14mziXL15GMi564AuD8 eWep7dnLBWyD9fBoyXTtxcp/Ls2K5Qd3REIbAQDHqV2Fw8ewxD5KE57tLoxg+N1U 7Dnd9fTDiVq4alALEQf/cmZhzXVwBQ50kiiR2kD5MgVMYTDDtibuqRl7QfENyX2f leC0vqN0YVEZk4Ykh4FNNuM50eGRWUCOu7yA6/qpDvUJzFof9LOlPL3rNvhajPWE BjBR/sG0NZewFaHQtuXLm9XsSmcV5XscX+YqJgMpN4G2qfzQs+zwYslOo77lIUcS ErQlkPI3iTs7AcLiimtILh/eH7vzlqRYDB8WoILEXSDXuB8X2GcLyo+Y8fFpb5Vf 8/mSr59aSrsSMtMqQAnh26VdtrICJMfd8zl9vgaa4+BeBl4kOol1aSS2UY5AL0Uu oaViBuH3cgtX3C8TpvmqeKuVdx8SsvX3CGEmj6C/nAgAqP8OXYn41dle537/WGYx RPlEgxnv8/xD0KTnr07EBHcd1ZbQzcjq5EBrNMiu8VgbIXuL0mhz21TkZfFMSThP x4RTxNTYlLrwKVDYp8QQbK35BpoDj33OFqa255qA3O324iSJupdsNvVj0QAIXjz0 GvKbEEMAkYp7jgbGcZsLKOjn7xF9aLZE3yU+0CrWNwwgwTZULEm4Jql6YQdA96jb UtHtOhxH6q1+T5sd2c8fukxQj9NnRON0fcMT1anI1oeDsGj1UlqLkIOyWY3oacD6 yx3HtzY2hY9kQimKcz5Ycrg4iZP1Rig2mbr+9KN6x1QQmcSuRFXFli4aTd01h1eS FrQkU2hhd24gV2lsc29uIDxzd2lsc29uQGtvcmVsb2dpYy5jb20+iIEEExEIACkF AlDPieoCGwMFCQeEzgAHCwkIBwMCAQYVCAIJCgsEFgIDAQIeAQIXgAAKCRAlESJy emO7FAFCAQCQZmLAslVd4DOjIp1xzFE7EH0L1atjjJ6NZpCooDsRLQD/QkwDZdM5 4VfLLVrL5GsKAuoCfKO6ZT/IvA6I8bKE8NKJARwEEAEIAAYFAlDPjs0ACgkQLVcy 4WhrbbPTqQf9FD4foqu0YzOZx/MFZdakBLynBvdEEyQgMO39yCKuFh68c0JN35yc OmcFzTClq2s2yAbKZwPJAg3YDYowVfubqbVm1E5+ZuWJOwJkItcQTBkVTmAt7G+r cSa/yHgh+El2J3+2fiUsUQNdeIwiAOMoAKmpkPfXm7mBapUur81e4NLK8XBc2dw7 ZHFie64588c0hkAyfXXJjgy1Uwv5dCIO2u02hnUgXf3/eAQS8FLV1pym50iw9Rha D9DYtIYcHsLMUI3ER2QgyTAUbWlUR4xONqgI+lIgCXDpMR3vuzxcOQD7f6fqbIz5 FAx0/9IqY92YD4DN2dwWpjyUZJ2gplBNUokBHAQQAQIABgUCUNDdyAAKCRBqqcNw vQYcS15/B/40YopvQbDOUMfd2pGgwfwvbjZnwz9FxBolU8wYGugFc2j3Oi/Zu95Y yCOHfnjBIeBaM0ORop/NHDOcfO+PWPqjZYEENoPcJTKNd+Eh4wZDw6tqpbvcTV0Y 0HxZeSau7ayji6spMOWkR2PHOOl5t0BLaUx50A0Cl3ihhKXHpAQLwWFvvf8gf5SP yZG0Mx91a22jbq4ZKwvFWYVLI98lMW2GciPBWOXvKAbwMqD23wzeI4F+HhnA2nVl QtFS0NRweo4y3pVJdRkQAg5FQAUkMtGUkn9GxmcqXOkwAEzYtuAMrPgPLUjBdxBe 17wChh2irtDahCssQr+Sqo5Ja2JlRSu2iQEcBBABAgAGBQJQ0OZyAAoJEJ6iZzj1 QlX2S3AH/jjg76zRn2nduf3sF9XtNP6KsiFdqJy6JlJZTlBjelN2aHFq5raIb63G NKLnzdk2rGteUtHN5dFKSFOUMNRKl8Bx7QLnCjiYNWMH3I11U5dAm3ugv68QPuGo BVqc1Hz9+vWb6CwCUka0apgF58s8+msg8PDWjtSkBoq0jEgXoii3BDJZOau05GWo lhgmHvE9JAF74QOv/LkGzsV9JzrTcr8I82biW9O3UxhJWD8Hqf9Lw9JD686Vubk8 /lrS8ikxdDzghYgFs5z0xzHjMb/1nBYmwVLdVKssTC736tMIlxHoYpfguKG5IZBk 7EhN7EdLRfpVrDBHmQoxC+IrUN5VpIeJARwEEAECAAYFAlEj7ZcACgkQQHQYvODE t5GvwAf/dHtEh104FaUsXcwemk9UJpKgwt2EiRZWVYAcOsm+dHJBgMR7MJzbEjtA YjwcYy+bnyjPpbRh6z7RZiljaHvMQSI9/lwk9+yP3R104JBUr6XynA3tAqXhl+Oq cWBiR/V0N4lBmtpDMI32FaBV7hM3A3XvNEv/EV8SGoRkFofbSQCEHbJyx5Xy3MyD sMn8j4NYBdWDo2E7vU7VnIopM+PPwjMrMzlVXlBrK2s039IcAi5UZMAk3DnDfxpR DKkL+3c7mtpRHFiXtU3Wk8LBowyWiq7PX0guj87C6Xpfr7HO1UnNpi2x1yh0syd2 4bJ70KfLGHxwCbG6SKBgNRlRwm66XbQpU2hhd24gV2lsc29uIDxzaGF3bi53aWxz b25Aa29yZWxvZ2ljLmNvbT6IgQQTEQgAKQUCUM+MyAIbAwUJB4TOAAcLCQgHAwIB BhUIAgkKCwQWAgMBAh4BAheAAAoJECURInJ6Y7sUO3QA/27xcBy/inCpptTxPqxl M1OVbby0z25zErqOz0xHu8KCAP9H0U0YDQ7yHesROJDdeRbVxPrh5/X/sdCXZb5m nul+QYkBHAQQAQgABgUCUM+OzQAKCRAtVzLhaGtts2XPB/98Tiyw2wdVP8uTzSXz bFd51M6wWo1ykwS04oXiqt2+qb3sLRdnO0D4Ao+07klPEEcp3Lz7eGJhvvmH51IY fN/l56byEmP4rVFCgk5lZPlnR3J235DH4xIK/Al4ppMLIPIYRUUjdmI018l1LwT9 H5ayQOl8E/5AgKvW7VAYaPK5MhWH2fKag3goTeNoOEGN/4YM57ICfC5prfAzMWsg /GmV14C7rP2Fio4XcSS4vaWPkMY9rGJ7ZsRa6TQC3GNir61O9UMOmGlKoFfer22b 8GHtg2TkzOLT6GjfVnlIrXAdc5gJDkVsCgRs2OzRzIPwERH+JsSTMtzha5XamlaH qEuiiQEcBBABAgAGBQJQ0N3IAAoJEGqpw3C9BhxL0bMH/i9K/0vrsZFpJrCx2T64 IpTl4Ynr7a0gI8e5G2F6woe/WZnEEa/HgXST12O2ouTlM77sGX6y9L99tBkX6GlB ZrYvdHXOhtosJeUcst0WrZSR2xs5/5aQYxS1aGvHKBvnRRUPgVCK9mW++vr/JLU/ 9LMjozDEq+1FxvtgQGVXJ2Xc5HgfDCm71hFzHce6TKlk2TCakZEV1iluh6k1QdyX WZkxk89+aB0hVgJs8Aq++M1bMY6XXPC8SjIF7Ax71WdXMFzRuNYVhsevhohGzgHX SDZqczTUD7W8crXpk2yf6l9fVgBSI8WzX0fE5faAUbuOVdNYWC18Xk9WKCn0rttJ JieJARwEEAECAAYFAlDQ5nIACgkQnqJnOPVCVfZkWwf9H6F7usmMTAA1oWGOAK2U BM11LSajiKSbeGELAuGgLJ9JUFuu2NwVsrGcmfYzofe0wTD2dvNgUuNuPjVdVLJ5 FxtyLeABna8vMHHMiB3eRzdmx61ZEHiXwtVXJ57WFZAYixyoU421y3GNf6h0eNaW 9pTNEB8nIWrhhqcXm3VD1l7EicbfbYJnaqbifaiF/IE0FalNlTsE/P8tdr7yQppw y79Uk4EXAajAAC1WNxkMpgg+MvePaBpXaz5cOi7dB9vbTP5tdGsLIz7Ei6N0+Xin hb1qzZv8H23vxakKe1cU7JGAUIcmo3IUzDN7pZDuAqx939rfPcGPX96nHhcQ5b+h G4kBHAQQAQIABgUCUSPtkwAKCRBAdBi84MS3kc/qB/9DLtMjniocRhG0iy7sTod0 mgFvjZLRWjvbX3kgTsuTRyqEFyqEKlQKGX65hHDKBIRLPHarv+3emVfDNphIpES8 SMjgT4iSn65oQW+/AUvCBDJ9/eh5e5Y1/GR/aqjN4uCQJ5dYN71XmoOceLsQrfFL gX6ykuwGcrYtrPcmnM5Ao80iZlPdpMrHOn/nR90vAtafmCx1a8juw1OrZ8DbWnwm LYNTV3f/sX4+2+x4jKNHxQc25hKVvQvlwSHcxy6hGpL2ppYwVTJ4JtEiC1Kh/bCs D9nfpQrZvqN0yg4EH47ujqbyFL6Sjw3TtN5X6UhBv1H6Rxn4pMp9SLQc/jhmHkyY uQINBFDPieoQCACYJAuyWyOVcukMTn3gUO80F4TGeKQE3aWCdd7MhCiE4SF/BhPL ZQBa4Zsijxy139u8NoAsU/f6BRMJmo8/TsfPgIG4WBQqJp4+8+CQcmvdqecJMc1d WaFp1arfut4oNp1StF9CeZvHsmVW4eairFUfRSOmkkclqPIv26R5fw8Orvr6ES+y Kl5lrfEmi0URGasl11C3DYrlEOoe69pkOcNQ2fqwcqDqsLdtPkYUDyeK75FAccDt FzEO6DspewCzmwgdnRGhrF6uYvGO0krCyYAPBQKCVHW49+iusfLNqML4pgwWn3TY 9XUmiOkk8yDBP+Kahw+XXecsZ0HUDzNkmChnAAMFB/9YQKqLTRyu9rpjJOONdew7 79nH4GYVR1D9bNp/1a/g0u4+NY+YAiRj2eE69EZymI1HiyyyRwWpCiXoqGrUnar3 dJP1EmBG+Z2OggF5yXggECVPLMPU9BzVoPcTpQ2MQjjoqDtUYI2id8pVxPsMRZ+v SE+9MUO/UQvEPZ2CLf84ASGKiLZkhpQt04tSDV+E48A1y7QRtSi0ddl4btld44A7 wk39Do0/dYQEtLr+jfjHUHx4vloYR/+qcLFNTM7DJc0F0R3ej2I5ieFwWmuBk3Vd 29pn7NK8Mz7szasy4oqRHBLPKiQn0QXR95wGBEvCr0AKIIL6gpcMeWttCdfhhp7w iGcEGBEIAA8FAlDPieoCGwwFCQeEzgAACgkQJREicnpjuxQA8gEArvQbljutpA6X um1Hhkjc6H1+eUREJuHsC+ZZa4E9HJIA/2O71nOmdau22OG01UHs9nwJGTls5AHm 64Yz49adPoFa =7lBb -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
pgpsfqAZZltX2.pgp
Description: PGP signature