On Tue, Oct 10, 2017 at 08:00:58AM -0400, shawn wilson wrote: > I guess that's the right way to describe what I'm seeing: > > [swilson@localhost ~]$ unset f; f=(aaa bbb ccc) declare -p f > declare -x f="(aaa bbb ccc)"
You placed a string variable in the temporary execution environment of the declare command. If you wanted an actual array variable that would persist past this command, you need a semicolon or newline after the assignment, and before the declare command. What you did: wooledg:~$ unset f; f=(aaa bbb ccc) declare -p f declare -x f="(aaa bbb ccc)" wooledg:~$ declare -p f bash: declare: f: not found What you probably wanted: wooledg:~$ unset f; f=(aaa bbb ccc); declare -p f declare -a f=([0]="aaa" [1]="bbb" [2]="ccc") wooledg:~$ declare -p f declare -a f=([0]="aaa" [1]="bbb" [2]="ccc") See also: http://mywiki.wooledge.org/BashFAQ/104
