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line="touch : touch : test.txt"
IFS=':' read scr cmd <<< "$line"
echo $scr
echo $cmd

output:
touch
touch : test.txt

line="touch : touch : test.txt"
IFS=':' 
read scr cmd <<< "$line"
echo $scr
echo $cmd

output:
touch
touch test.txt

I don't understand how the second syntax makes read remove the ':' . Any ideas?

BobBarkerMD_atLaw
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    `read` doesn't remove it - echoing the unquoted `$cmd` with `IFS` set to `:` does – steeldriver Jun 09 '23 at 12:16
  • I think this is a combination of that and https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/264635/when-can-i-use-a-temporary-ifs-for-field-splitting - `read` is not a special built-in, so setting `IFS` for read will not make it persist after `read` returns, so the lack of quoting doesn't affect the commands after it the same way as in the second example. – muru Jun 09 '23 at 12:25

0 Answers0