Problem with expansion of empty elements in ${arrays[*]:0}

[Vítor De Araújo]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i486
OS: linux-gnu
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i486' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux-gnu' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i486-pc-linux-gnu' 
-DCONF_VENDOR='pc' -DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL 
-DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -I.  -I../bash -I../bash/include -I../bash/lib   -g -O2
uname output: Linux exmachina 2.6.18-4-686 #1 SMP Mon Mar 26 17:17:36 UTC 2007 
i686 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: i486-pc-linux-gnu

Bash Version: 3.1
Patch Level: 17
Release Status: release

Description:

An expansion like ${array[*]:index} renders empty elements as delete
(ASCII 127) characters. I have no idea of why this happens.

I am using bash 3.1, but I have tested bash 3.2.27 on an Ubuntu 7.04 machine
and it happens as well.

Repeat-By:

A simplified version of the code which caused the problem is:
    IFS=/
    file=/mnt/cdrom/RedHat/RPMS
    echo "${file[*]:0:3}"
This will render "^?/mnt/cdrom/RedHat/RPMS".

It happens no matter the value of $IFS. For example:
    i[0]=foo
    i[1]=
    i[2]=bar
    i[3]=
    echo "${i[*]:0}"
Will output "foo ^? bar ^?".

Strange...

--
Vítor De Araújo



      Novos endereços, o Yahoo! que você conhece. Crie um email novo com a sua 
cara @ymail.com ou @rocketmail.com.
http://br.new.mail.yahoo.com/addresses