integer variable in korn script not visible throughout script

[Blizard]

I am writing a korn shell script that does a little bit of integer arithmetic, and I find that if I assign a value to an integer variable in a function inside the script, it is not visible in the main program section. Setting the variable as a regular string works, as does setting it as an integer in the main program. Can anyone tell me why?

Here is an example of what I am trying...

#!/usr/bin/ksh
# some comments
setDefaults () {
integer limitpct=85 # This is not visible outside function, even if I export it.
rundate=$(date) # visible everywhere
# other variables, etc. set here
}

# other functions

#####
# Main
######

echo "$limitpct + 1" | bc # gives error, variable not defined.

#this only works if limitpct is set inside main section.

 

[pmurray99]

integer is an alias for typeset -i

if you typeset inside a function, the variable is local to the function.

 

[Ranazar]

And since you didn't explicitly declare rundate, ksh will create it as a global variable. There's no way that I know of to declare a variable inside a function and make it global -- you're just going to have to declare limitpct outside the function.

 

[BobMCT]

Perhaps exporting the variable name would work???

 

[Blizard]

Thanks to all for your comments.

I have done a little more testing, and have learned the following:

- If I declare an integer variable in the main part of my script, I can assign a value in a function, and the value will be available to all functions, as well as the main program.
- For a variable defined in the main program, scope is global. In other words, if I declare integer variable int1 in main and assign it a value of 10, and then assign a value of 20 to it inside function func (), the value back in main changes to 20.
- Exporting the variable does not change the behavior. I tried 'typeset -ix', 'set -a', and 'export <var>' without success. It has to be declared in main.

 

[Ranazar]

One last comment regarding exporting a variable. It makes sense that exporting it within a function will not make it available to the main since the main is a parent of the function, and export simply makes the variable available to the function's children. In other words, the variable becomes available down the line, not up.