From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (qmail 11637 invoked from network); 12 Jan 2006 01:41:48 -0000 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.0 (2005-09-13) on f.primenet.com.au X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.5 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00, FORGED_RCVD_HELO autolearn=ham version=3.1.0 Received: from news.dotsrc.org (HELO a.mx.sunsite.dk) (130.225.247.88) by ns1.primenet.com.au with SMTP; 12 Jan 2006 01:41:48 -0000 Received: (qmail 57862 invoked from network); 12 Jan 2006 01:41:42 -0000 Received: from sunsite.dk (130.225.247.90) by a.mx.sunsite.dk with SMTP; 12 Jan 2006 01:41:42 -0000 Received: (qmail 7986 invoked by alias); 12 Jan 2006 01:41:33 -0000 Mailing-List: contact zsh-users-help@sunsite.dk; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk X-No-Archive: yes X-Seq: 9823 Received: (qmail 7977 invoked from network); 12 Jan 2006 01:41:32 -0000 Received: from news.dotsrc.org (HELO a.mx.sunsite.dk) (130.225.247.88) by sunsite.dk with SMTP; 12 Jan 2006 01:41:32 -0000 Received: (qmail 56806 invoked from network); 12 Jan 2006 01:41:32 -0000 Received: from vms046pub.verizon.net (206.46.252.46) by a.mx.sunsite.dk with SMTP; 12 Jan 2006 01:41:30 -0000 Received: from candle.brasslantern.com ([71.116.81.225]) by vms046.mailsrvcs.net (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-4.02 (built Sep 9 2005)) with ESMTPA id <0ISY00DA6I131YE4@vms046.mailsrvcs.net> for zsh-users@sunsite.dk; Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:41:28 -0600 (CST) Received: from candle.brasslantern.com (IDENT:schaefer@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by candle.brasslantern.com (8.12.11/8.12.11) with ESMTP id k0C1fRdH000719; Wed, 11 Jan 2006 17:41:27 -0800 Received: (from schaefer@localhost) by candle.brasslantern.com (8.12.11/8.12.11/Submit) id k0C1fQsb000718; Wed, 11 Jan 2006 17:41:26 -0800 Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 01:41:25 +0000 From: Bart Schaefer Subject: Re: joining array elements In-reply-to: <36947C4E-7C19-4BB5-A43B-EC8D3EF0713A@jota.gsc.riken.go.jp> To: Wataru Kagawa , zsh-users@sunsite.dk Message-id: <1060112014126.ZM717@candle.brasslantern.com> MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Z-Mail (5.0.0 30July97) Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii References: <36947C4E-7C19-4BB5-A43B-EC8D3EF0713A@jota.gsc.riken.go.jp> Comments: In reply to Wataru Kagawa "joining array elements" (Jan 12, 10:22am) On Jan 12, 10:22am, Wataru Kagawa wrote: } } Bob[return]Sara[return]Tim } } as an output (without the backslashes in front of the square } brackets). I started out with, } } echo ${(j:\[return\]:)usernames} } } and added extra backslashes, but that did not work for me. Help is } greatly appreciated. Did you try *removing* the backslashes? This works fine for me: echo ${(j:[return]:)usernames} Also keep in mind that "echo" might be doing some conversions of its own if you have anything unusual in $usernames -- you might be better off with e.g. print -R -- ${(j:[return]:)usernames}