If separator is a single character, then shell can split a string or
join arguments. But, if separator is string, then it gets messy. We
shouldn't have to resort to Awk/Python for that.
How about Python-like string split and string join?
${parameter...} is overloaded as is, and we are running out of special
characters. So, how about, just appending at the end of parameter
expansion syntax?
${parameter...;sep}
where
${parameter...} is already existing expansion, and
sep is substring to join, if ${parameter...} is multiple argument
syntax involving '*', like ${*}, ${*:10:10}, ${array[*]:20}, and
sep is substring to split on, if ${parameter...} is single string
syntax like ${var}, ${var:3:10}, ${1}, ${10:2:4}
Eg.
array=( "${var;.}" )
would be equivalent to
IFS=. read -a array <<< "$var"
Eg.
echo "${*;.}"
would be equivalent to
(IFS=.; echo "$*")
Where it would be used?
- everywhere
Advantage?
- replaces multiple lines in shell function
- makes Bash script simpler and clearer
- less bookkeeping and less mistakes
--
William Park <opengeome...@yahoo.ca>
