Re: [9fans] rc scripts, how to get spaces in array elements generated by command output?

[Anthony Martin <ality@pbrane.org>]

Mack Wallace <mackbw@mapinternet.com> once said:
> My question: Is there a way to take the string output of a command that
> contains spaces and make it a single element of an array in rc script?
>
> [...]
> 
> However, if I am receiving output from sed that contains spaces from
> the following script line
> 
> string_var = `{echo some_string | sed ’s/x/y/g’}
> 
> If the output was ‘hello world’, string_var would become a two
> element array which
> echo $some_string(1) 
> echo $some_string(2)
> 
> Would output 
> hello
> world

You need to change the input field separator, $ifs.

The default value is any whitespace character:

	% x = `{echo -n hello world}
	% echo $#x
	2
	% echo $x(1)
	hello
	% echo $x(2)
	world

Using only newline as the separator yields:

	% ifs = '
		' # this is a newline character
	% 	y = `{echo -n hello world}
	% echo $#y
	1
	% echo $y(1)
	hello world

You might want to use a comma instead:

	% ifs = ,
	% z = `{echo -n hello world,good luck}
	% echo $#z
	2
	% echo $z(1)
	hello world
	% echo $z(2)
	good luck

Cheers,
  Anthony