Re: proxy name for array

[Ray Andrews <rayandrews@eastlink.ca>]

This works.  Double indirection, but she runs.

function called ()

{
     # Am I tempting the wrath of the Gods? :
     temp=( ${(P)${(P)1}[pages]} )    # Temporary array will be used to 
hold content of 'Pages' (or whatever else).
     temp[2]=50                       # Set some test values.
     temp[3]=100
     temp[4]=150
     echo 10: $temp                    # How are we doing?
     echo 11: $temp[3]                  # So far so good.
     set -A "${${(P)1}[pages]}" $temp    # The hard part: write 'temp' 
back to 'Pages' via the named input array.
}

typeset -A main=()       # The main structure. Contains a dozen elements 
but we only need one here ...
main[pages]=Pages        # The name of the pages array.
Pages=( 1 )              # Initialize.  This is going to end up as an 
array of numbers.

# Now we jump into the function that will modify 'Pages' -- or whatever 
other name is held in '[pages]' of whatever structure name is passed.
called main        # Push the button. Don't look at the flash.

echo 13: ${(P)main[pages]}       # It's Alive!  It's alive, it's alive, 
it's alive!
echo 14: ${(P)main[pages][3]}    # Now I know what it's like to be Mark! 
;-))
echo "Who said zsh doesn't have structures?  She does, they're just a 
bit tricky to build."

----------------------------------------------

... subject to improvement of course.  Or can 'temp' be avoided by 
direct access to 'Pages' but via similar indirection?  Probably too 
complicated.