Re: Keying arrays to names: is there an array of arrays?

[Bart Schaefer <schaefer@brasslantern.com>]

On May 27,  7:09pm, Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson wrote:
}
} > This reminds me I was going to post a general solution along the same
} > lines which deals with embeded spaces etc.:
} 
} Is it possible to abstract that trick into functions?  That is, so the
} function takes the array name, key, and value as arguments?

I'll assume you mean the *associative* array (hash) name.

A function to do the assignment isn't too terrible, though there are
scoping issues -- either the hash already has to exist, or you can
only create it in the global scope by using typeset -g:

  setbykey() {
    local h=$1 k=$2
    shift 2
    set -- ${(q)*}
    typeset -gA $h
    typeset -g $h\[$k\]="$*"
  }

A function to read back the value is a bit trickier.  What do you want
to do with the array once you have it?  A common fallback would be to
stuff it in $reply:

  getbykey() {
    set -- $1\[$2\]
    reply=( ${(Q)${(z)${(P)1}}} )
  }

  typeset -A hash
  setbykey hash key one 'two three' '"four five six"'
  getbykey hash key
  print -rl $reply

Incidentally:

} I classify Outlook mail as spam, use something else.

Someone asking for assistance has no right to dictate terms.  You want
my help, you take it the way I send it.  I don't happen to use Outlook,
but next time I see something like this, I just won't answer.