Re: uninvited members of associative array

[Ray Andrews <rayandrews@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Getting some scent on my troubles with the AA:

I import one AA into another like this:

n_input ()

{

    set -A IN ${(Pkv)${1}} # Copy the array to IN, the working copy.

    typeset -p $1 > /dev/pts/2
    typeset -p IN > /dev/pts/2
....


... and Roman has said this is correct.  For all the functions that call 
n_input()  everything is fine.  Given the array 'main' as '$1' to the 
function, typesets show:

typeset -g -A main=( [active]=1 [bottomE]=48 [currentE]=1 [hight]=48 
[lastE]=45 [list]=List [offset]=0 [topE]=1 [width]=90 [window]=Main )
typeset -g -A IN     =( [active]=1 [bottomE]=48 [currentE]=1 [hight]=48 
[lastE]=45 [list]=List [offset]=0 [topE]=1 [width]=90 [window]=Main )

... perfect.  But there is one exception.  The input array is the same 
but the output turns into a normal array! Input array is 'files':

typeset -g -A files=( [active]=1 [bottomE]=48 [currentE]=1 [hight]=48 
[lastE]=332 [list]=files_list [offset]=0 [topE]=1 [width]=16 
[window]=files )
typeset -g -a IN   =( width 16 window files offset 0 topE 1 active 1 
bottomE 48 lastE 332 hight 48 list files_list currentE 1 )

... subsequent assignments are obviously going to be haywire and they 
are as we've discussed.  Now why on earth does that happen? All the 
keywords are there, and all the values are correct, but needless to say 
I want it to be an AA, not a normal array.  When 'IN' is written back to 
the the input array ... sproingggg ....

BTW the order in which the elements are initialized at first go seems 
unrelated, it doesn't match either typeset.  I thought there might be 
some artifact in the input values but can see anything. The array 
consists of two strings and 8 numbers.  Quoting makes no difference.  
Options are the same.  I haven't a clue where to go from here.