Assoc array keys

[Chip Seraphine]

Is there any way of extracting the keys from an associated array?

I'm considering writing some cfengine code to manage init.d services.  I can 
build the array like this using the newfangled A() stuff:

any::
        services=       ( A(cfengine-servd,on) A(telnet,off)  )

linux.webserver::
        services=       ( A(httpd,on) )

solaris.webserver::
        services=       ( A(apache,on) )

!webserver::
        services=       ( A(httpd,off) )


...and so forth.  This seems to work fine and builds me a nice array; what I 
am lacking is the ability to do anything with it without (a) calling an 
external script or (b) assuming my list of services.  I'd love to do this:

shellcommands:
        linux::
                "/sbin/chkconfig ${magicvalue}"

...where ${magicvalue} could be an iterator that expanded to key and value 
(seperated by a magic $(keydelim) variable or whatever) each time.  I could 
then set $(keydelim) to $(spc) and I'm off to the races.

Anybody have any clever ideas on how to do this?  Or at leat how to pass an 
intact assoc array to a shellcommand?  Failing any of the above, any interest 
in implementing it?  (This is too low-level for my meager C skills, sadly.)     


-- 

Chip Seraphine
Unix Administrator
TradeLink, LLC
312-264-2048
chip@trdlnk.com