Assign associative array value only if empty in bash

Question

Have associative array

OPTIONS[a]="a-value"

have another array id and need set a value from OPTIONS only when some value is NOT set, so something like

id[KEY1]=${id[KEY1]:-OPTIONS[a]}

but this not works.

How to use the bash's :- "variable substitution" with associative arrays?

Manny D · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-13 19:32:38Z

3

You were pretty close. This works for me:

$ OPTIONS[a]="a-value"
$ id[KEY1]="b"
$ id[KEY1]=${id[KEY1]:-${OPTIONS[a]}}
$ echo ${id[KEY1]}
b
$ unset id
$ id[KEY1]=${id[KEY1]:-${OPTIONS[a]}}
$ echo ${id[KEY1]}
a-value

answered Dec 13, 2013 at 19:32

Manny D

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1 Comment

novacik Over a year ago

Thank you very much! Why is it now obvious? :) :)

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