Reference

hashstash(3)

libbash library that implements hash data structure

NAME

hashstash – libbash library that implements hash data structure

SYNOPSIS

hashSet

⟨Value⟩ ⟨Key⟩ ⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

$retval hashGet

⟨Key⟩ ⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

$retval hashKeys

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

hashRemove

⟨Key⟩ ⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

hashDelete

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

DESCRIPTION

General

hashstash is a collection of functions that implement basic hash data-structure in bash scripting language.

The function list:

hashSet

Adds a value to the hash

hashGet

Returns a value from the hash

hashKeys

Returns a list of keys of the hash

hashRemove

Removes a key from the hash

hashDelete

Deletes a hash

Detailed interface description follows.

FUNCTIONS DESCRIPTIONS

Cm hashSet Ao Ns Fa Value Ns Ac Ao Ns Fa Key Ns Ac Ao Ns Fa Hashname Ns Ac Op SubHashName Op ...

Adds a value to the hash.

Parameters:

⟨Value⟩

The value to set in HashName[Key].

⟨Key⟩

The key for the value Value.

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

A string that contains the name of the hash. If the hash is a sub hash of another hash, the "father hash" name MUST BE WRITTEN FIRST, followed by the sub-hash name.

Value will be the value of the key Key in the hash HashName. For example if you have (or want to define) hash C, which is subhash of hash B, which is subhash of hash A, and C has a key named ckey1 with value cval1, then you should use:

hashSet cval1 ckey1 A B C

Ft $retval Cm hashGet Ao Ns Fa Key Ns Ac Ao Ns Fa HashName Ns Ac Op SubHashName Op ...

Returns the value of Key in HashName to the $retval variable.

Parameters:

⟨Key⟩

The key that hold the value we wish to get.

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

A string that contains the name of the hash. If the hash is a sub hash of another hash, the "father hash" name MUST BE WRITTEN FIRST, followed by the sub-hash name.

Return Value:

The value of the key Key in the hash HashName. The value is returned in the variable $retval.

Ft $retval Cm hashKeys Ao Ns Fa HashName Ns Ac Op SubHashName Op ...

Returns a list of keys of the hash HashName in the variable $retval.

Parameters:

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

A string that contains the name of the hash. If the hash is a sub hash of another hash, the "father hash" name MUST BE WRITTEN FIRST, followed by the sub-hash name.

Return Value:

The value of the key Key in the hash HashName. The value is returned in the variable $retval.

Cm hashRemove Ao Ns Fa Key Ns Ac Ao Ns Fa HashName Ns Ac Op SubHashName Op ...

Removes the key Key from the hash HashName.

⟨Key⟩

The key we wish to remove from HashName.

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

A string that contains the name of the hash. If the hash is a sub hash of another hash, the "father hash" name MUST BE WRITTEN FIRST, followed by the sub-hash name.

This function should also be used to remove a sub-hash from its "father hash". In that case, the key will be the name of the sub-hash.

Cm hashDelete Ao Ns Fa HashName Ns Ac Op SubHashName Op ...

Deletes the hash HashName [SubHashName [...]].

Parameters:

⟨HashName⟩ [SubHashName [...]]

A string that contains the name of the hash. If the hash is a sub hash of another hash, the "father hash" name MUST BE WRITTEN FIRST, followed by the sub-hash name.

If this function is used on a sub-hash, a key with the name of the sub-hash will remain in its "father hash" and will hold a NULL value.

BUGS

A hash name can only contain characters that are valid as part of bash variable names (i.e. a-zA-Z0-9_). The same applies for hash keys.

As for now, there is no way of knowing if a key represents a value or a sub-hash. If a sub-hash will be used as a key, the returned value will be its keys list.

EXAMPLES

Define hash table hashA with key Akey1 with value Aval1 use:

% hashSet Aval1 Akey1 Ahash

Now:

% hashGet Akey1 Ahash

% echo $retval

Aval1

% hashKeys Ahash

% echo $retval

Akey1

%

HISTORY

The idea to write hashstash library appeared when we've discovered the full power of the bash eval function.

As of the name hashstash, it has two meanings. The first, it means ‘stash’ of hash functions. The second is, that hashstash contains subhashes inside, so it looks like stash of packed information.

AUTHORS

Hai Zaar ⟨[email protected]⟩ Gil Ran ⟨[email protected]⟩

SEE ALSO

ldbash(1), libbash(1)