Re: [Help-bash] Why bash does not recoganize array type smartly?

[Chet Ramey]

On 3/9/16 11:16 PM, Peng Yu wrote:
> Hi, Bash requires one explicitly declare associative array before it
> can be used. It seems that this requirement may be too strictly given
> no other types need to be declared first before being used.

The assignment syntax for indexed and associative arrays is identical.
One has to be the default, and it's indexed arrays.

> Is there any rationale why bash is defined in this way. Wouldn't it
> better to allow users define associative array just by using something
> like `x=([a]=1 [b]=2)` without having to declare it?

That is a valid indexed array declaration.

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Chet Ramey, ITS, CWRU    address@hidden    http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/~chet/