david bolt bgbricpzdavjamorg thu 14 feb 2008 randall r schulz wrote thats quotes create single string ones list defined required shell variable array single value ordinary parsing would break output ls occurrence run whitespace characters doesnt try command line listls 1 echo list perform ls pwd assign results list echo statement displays contents list wraps quotes see start end variables contents see something like esnuefaddertemp ls 200802052337 200802061302 countall counttxt 200802052337sorted 200802061302sorted countsorted extractsh esnuefaddertemp listls 1 echo list 200802052337 200802052337sorted 200802061302 200802061302sorted countall countsorted counttxt extractsh one loop number words allowed causes one holding entire output ls invocation correct personally like use array variables bash scripting theyre hand spread across multiple lines _without_ using backslashes putting single value line easily comment certain values commenting line contains within array initialization problem case populate array number numbers echo number done didnt know method extracting contents array noted later use number numbers echo number done didnt know one either also noted later use regards david bolt team acorn httpwwwdistributednet ogrp2 100mnodes rc572 15mkeys suse 101 32bit opensuse 102 32bit opensuse 103 32bit opensuse 110a1 suse 101 64bit opensuse 102 64bit opensuse 103 64bit risc os 36 tos 402 opensuse 103 ppc risc os 311 wed 06 aug 2008 005318 0000 opensuse bash doesnt tldp bash beginners guide loop example work