Re: [Help-bash] Awkward behavior of empty arrays

[Cristian Zoicas]

Andy Chu wrote:
>     I would also like it if bash would provide a way to safely interpolate 
> empty arrays with set -u.  Syntax idea:
>
>     echo "${A[@@]}"
>
>     That way there is no extra mode, which is harder to read IMO.
>
>
> Given that I already complained that it takes 8 punctuation characters to 
> interpolate an array and 10 to copy it [1], I should take this suggestion back.
>
> A simpler and backward compatible syntax would be:
>
> echo "address@hidden"    # like "address@hidden" but an empty array OK with set 
> -u
>
> I was thinking of using that syntax for arrays in OSH.  And if you have arrays, you don't really 
> need word splitting, so you can argue that address@hidden (no quotes) should be the same as 
> "address@hidden".  It's less consistent, but then the common case with fewer characters 
> is correct.  Or I might just leave out address@hidden (syntax error) and only provide 
> "address@hidden".
>
> Andy
>
>
> [1] http://www.oilshell.org/blog/2016/11/06.html

My need of using empty arrays was raised exactly from the ideas
mentioned in this document: With arrays you do not have to take
into account or defend against word splitting.

Cristi