#!/bin/bash # array-function.sh: Passing an array to a function and... # "returning" an array from a function Pass_Array () { local passed_array # Local variable. passed_array=( `echo "$1"` ) echo "${passed_array[@]}" # List all the elements of the new array #+ declared and set within the function. } original_array=( element1 element2 element3 element4 element5 ) echo echo "original_array = ${original_array[@]}" # List all elements of original array. # This is the trick that permits passing an array to a function. # ********************************** argument=`echo ${original_array[@]}` # ********************************** # Pack a variable #+ with all the space-separated elements of the original array. # # Note that attempting to just pass the array itself will not work. # This is the trick that allows grabbing an array as a "return value". # ***************************************** returned_array=( `Pass_Array "$argument"` ) # ***************************************** # Assign 'echoed' output of function to array variable. echo "returned_array = ${returned_array[@]}" echo "=============================================================" # Now, try it again, #+ attempting to access (list) the array from outside the function. Pass_Array "$argument" # The function itself lists the array, but... #+ accessing the array from outside the function is forbidden. echo "Passed array (within function) = ${passed_array[@]}" # NULL VALUE since this is a variable local to the function. echo exit 0
