From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Return-Path: <zsh-workers-return-30773-mason-zsh=primenet.com.au@zsh.org>
Received: (qmail 27501 invoked by alias); 31 Oct 2012 16:34:35 -0000
Mailing-List: contact zsh-workers-help@zsh.org; run by ezmlm
Precedence: bulk
X-No-Archive: yes
List-Id: Zsh Workers List <zsh-workers.zsh.org>
List-Post: <mailto:zsh-workers@zsh.org>
List-Help: <mailto:zsh-workers-help@zsh.org>
X-Seq: 30773
Received: (qmail 22339 invoked from network); 31 Oct 2012 16:34:34 -0000
X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.2 (2011-06-06) on f.primenet.com.au
X-Spam-Level: 
X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE
	autolearn=ham version=3.3.2
Received-SPF: none (ns1.primenet.com.au: domain at closedmail.com does not designate permitted sender hosts)
From: Bart Schaefer <schaefer@brasslantern.com>
Message-id: <121031093338.ZM11762@torch.brasslantern.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:33:38 -0700
In-reply-to: <20121031150140.32569722@pwslap01u.europe.root.pri>
Comments: In reply to Peter Stephenson <p.stephenson@samsung.com>
 "Shift arguments" (Oct 31,  3:01pm)
References: <20121031134007.GA9731@localhost.localdomain>
	<20121031142546.529e1709@pwslap01u.europe.root.pri>
	<20121031150140.32569722@pwslap01u.europe.root.pri>
X-Mailer: OpenZMail Classic (0.9.2 24April2005)
To: "Zsh Hackers' List" <zsh-workers@zsh.org>
Subject: Re: Shift arguments
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

On Oct 31,  3:01pm, Peter Stephenson wrote:
}
} % integer foo=3
} % set -- one two three four five six
} % shift foo
} % print $*
} four five six
} 
} In other words, if the argument to shift is a parameter that isn't an
} array, it's used to give a mathematical value with which to shift the
} positional parameters.  That seems confusing.

I can't disagree that it's confusing, but the idea is that you can give
any math expression there, e.g. "shift 7-foo" would shift by 4.  This
is in the same category as passing math expressions to "return".

It's always been like that ...