From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (qmail 15794 invoked from network); 7 Aug 2003 10:01:14 -0000 Received: from sunsite.dk (130.225.247.90) by ns1.primenet.com.au with SMTP; 7 Aug 2003 10:01:14 -0000 Received: (qmail 3086 invoked by alias); 7 Aug 2003 10:01:06 -0000 Mailing-List: contact zsh-workers-help@sunsite.dk; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk X-No-Archive: yes X-Seq: 18934 Received: (qmail 3065 invoked from network); 7 Aug 2003 10:01:05 -0000 Received: from localhost (HELO sunsite.dk) (127.0.0.1) by localhost with SMTP; 7 Aug 2003 10:01:05 -0000 X-MessageWall-Score: 0 (sunsite.dk) Received: from [62.189.183.235] by sunsite.dk (MessageWall 1.0.8) with SMTP; 7 Aug 2003 10:1:5 -0000 Received: from EXCHANGE02.csr.com (unverified) by MAILSWEEPER01.cambridgesiliconradio.com (Content Technologies SMTPRS 4.3.10) with ESMTP id for ; Thu, 7 Aug 2003 10:55:17 +0100 Received: from csr.com ([192.168.144.127]) by EXCHANGE02.csr.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.5329); Thu, 7 Aug 2003 10:57:29 +0100 To: Zsh Subject: Re: Just to make sure I'm understanding it... In-reply-to: "DervishD"'s message of "Wed, 06 Aug 2003 21:35:57 +0200." <20030806193557.GA463@DervishD> Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2003 10:56:01 +0100 Message-ID: <3927.1060250161@csr.com> From: Peter Stephenson X-OriginalArrivalTime: 07 Aug 2003 09:57:29.0305 (UTC) FILETIME=[50129490:01C35CCA] DervishD wrote: > Well, in function 'insert-files' there is a line, just at the > beginning, that reads 'files=( *(N) )', and I want to make sure I > understand it. Since it starts with a parenthesis, it is (AFAIK) a > candidate for filename generation. The asterisk seems to be the > pattern an the 'N' in the parentheses is a glob qualifier (namely the > 'set NULL_GLOB for this pattern' qualifier). What I don't understand > is, why the spaces around the pattern and the qualifier? They're optional, they're just there for readability. files=(*(N)) will work but looks like the logo of a secret society. What you're probably missing is the the outer parentheses are there to turn the assignment into an array assignment, they're nothing to do with globbing. In this case the place where you can't have spaces is around the `='. files=( *(N) ) works, too. It's one of the advantages of arrays --- you can make the assignments much neater. However, files=*(N) *doesn't* work. The right hand side of normal assignment doesn't do globbing (unless you have the option GLOB_ASSIGN set, which we don't recommend). This was changed a while ago: the problem was that if there were multiple matches, an array assignment was done, while if there was just one, because of the use of scalar syntax a scalar assignment was done. The new arrangement (with GLOB_ASSIGN unset) is much neater. -- Peter Stephenson Software Engineer CSR Ltd., Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WH, UK Tel: +44 (0)1223 692070 ********************************************************************** The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. **********************************************************************