I think you can prefix the called function with IFS=$OLDIFS.  I.e.:

IFS=$OLDIFS Rays_function

E.g.:

function a {
; echo $a
; }
: ~ Tue 3 16:37; a=foo
: ~ Tue 3 16:37; a
foo
: ~ Tue 3 16:37; a=bar a
bar
: ~ Tue 3 16:37; a
foo


On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 4:15 PM Ray Andrews <rayandrews@eastlink.ca> wrote:

> I have a function that requires this:
>
>      local IFS=$'\n'
>
> ... but the function calls other functions in which I need to protect
> $IFS from that change.  Can I limit the scope?  As it is I'm laboring it
> with this:
>
> In the calling function:
>
>       local OLDIFS="$IFS"
>       local IFS=$'\n'
>
> In the called function:
>
>      IFS=$OLDIFS
>
>      code ...
>      code ...
>
>      IFS=$'\n'
>      return
>
> ... there's got to be a more streamlined way.
>
>
>