Re: IFS field splitting doesn't conform with POSIX

[Kerin Millar]

On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:44:10 -0400
Saint Michael <venefax@gmail.com> wrote:

> There is an additional problem with IFS and the command read
> 
> Suppose I have variable  $line with a string "a,b,c,d"
> IFS=',' read -r x1 <<< $line
> Bash will assign the whole line to x1
>  echo $x1
> line="a,b,c,d";IFS=',' read -r x1 <<< $line;echo $x1;
> a,b,c,d
> but if I use two variables
> line="a,b,c,d";IFS=',' read -r x1 x2 <<< $line;echo "$x1 ---> $x2";
> a ---> b,c,d
> this is incorrect. If IFS=",", then a read -r statement must assign the

No it isn't.

> first value to the single variable, and disregard the rest.

No it musn't. Read 
https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/read.html and pay 
particular attention to the definition of what must happen where there are 
fewer vars (names) than fields encountered.

-- 
Kerin Millar