#!/bin/bash
# embedded-arrays.sh
# Embedded arrays and indirect references.

# This script by Dennis Leeuw.
# Used with permission.
# Modified by document author.


ARRAY1=(
        VAR1_1=value11
        VAR1_2=value12
        VAR1_3=value13
)

ARRAY2=(
        VARIABLE="test"
        STRING="VAR1=value1 VAR2=value2 VAR3=value3"
        ARRAY21=${ARRAY1[*]}
)       # Embed ARRAY1 within this second array.

function print () {
        OLD_IFS="$IFS"
        IFS=$'\n'       #  To print each array element
                        #+ on a separate line.
        TEST1="ARRAY2[*]"
        local ${!TEST1} # See what happens if you delete this line.
        #  Indirect reference.
        #  This makes the components of $TEST1
        #+ accessible to this function.


        #  Let's see what we've got so far.
        echo
        echo "\$TEST1 = $TEST1"       #  Just the name of the variable.
        echo; echo
        echo "{\$TEST1} = ${!TEST1}"  #  Contents of the variable.
                                      #  That's what an indirect
                                      #+ reference does.
        echo
        echo "-------------------------------------------"; echo
        echo


        # Print variable
        echo "Variable VARIABLE: $VARIABLE"

        # Print a string element
        IFS="$OLD_IFS"
        TEST2="STRING[*]"
        local ${!TEST2}      # Indirect reference (as above).
        echo "String element VAR2: $VAR2 from STRING"

        # Print an array element
        TEST2="ARRAY21[*]"
        local ${!TEST2}      # Indirect reference (as above).
        echo "Array element VAR1_1: $VAR1_1 from ARRAY21"
}

print
echo

exit 0

#   As the author of the script notes,
#+ "you can easily expand it to create named-hashes in bash."
#   (Difficult) exercise for the reader: implement this.