#!/bin/bash
# ind-ref.sh: Indirect variable referencing.
# Accessing the contents of the contents of a variable.

a=letter_of_alphabet   # Variable "a" holds the name of another variable.
letter_of_alphabet=z

echo

# Direct reference.
echo "a = $a"          # a = letter_of_alphabet

# Indirect reference.
eval a=\$$a
echo "Now a = $a"      # Now a = z

echo


# Now, let's try changing the second-order reference.

t=table_cell_3
table_cell_3=24
echo "\"table_cell_3\" = $table_cell_3"            # "table_cell_3" = 24
echo -n "dereferenced \"t\" = "; eval echo \$$t    # dereferenced "t" = 24
# In this simple case, the following also works (why?).
#         eval t=\$$t; echo "\"t\" = $t"

echo

t=table_cell_3
NEW_VAL=387
table_cell_3=$NEW_VAL
echo "Changing value of \"table_cell_3\" to $NEW_VAL."
echo "\"table_cell_3\" now $table_cell_3"
echo -n "dereferenced \"t\" now "; eval echo \$$t
# "eval" takes the two arguments "echo" and "\$$t" (set equal to $table_cell_3)

echo

# (Thanks, Stephane Chazelas, for clearing up the above behavior.)


# Another method is the ${!t} notation, discussed in "Bash, version 2" section.
# See also ex78.sh.

exit 0