Re: associative array questions

[Ray Andrews <rayandrews@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2022-12-12 20:39, Bart Schaefer wrote:
> % : ${(P)list::="tea for two"}
> %

Ha! I finally get to see that colon command do something. Anyway the 
real situation is running into trouble (I try to keep my questions here 
boiled down to the nub of the issue).  What's being modified is an array 
and the above method is interfering with the spit on lines; however it 
seems to be the perfect example of eval doing the work as a visual 
thinker would want it done:

local list=$1    # function takes name of array as argument.

eval 'list=( "${(@M)list:#(#i)*$SEARCHBUF*}" )'     # filter the array.

... it has a sort of 'just-do-it' directness to it.   The function was 
previously working on only a specific array, and I'm trying to get it to 
work on any array.  Anyway the 'eval' method seems to work perfectly.  
Subject to better advice of course.