Re: Word splitting for $@ in variable assignment

[Nora Platiel]

On 2021-06-25 12:11, Greg Wooledge wrote:
> > | A variable may be assigned to by a statement of the form
> > |     name=[value]
> > | [...]
> > | Word splitting is not performed, with the exception of "$@" as
> > | explained below.
>
> This isn't the full sentence in the current man page.  In the bash 5.1
> man page, it says:
>
>    Word splitting is not
>    performed, with the exception of "$@" as explained below under  Special
>    Parameters.

Ok, so I quoted the web version which is slightly out of date, but the meaning 
of "below" was already clear to me. I linked to that part in my previous 
message.

I repeat for the 3rd time: the part under Special Parameters is already clear 
to me and I see no problem with it.
The part I have a problem with is `with the exception of "$@"'.

Try to follow my reasoning and tell me where our point of divergence is:
(This is all in the context of `name=[value]'.)

- doc: "word splitting is not performed, with the exception of "$@" [...]"

therefore

- in case of "$@" (as an exception), word splitting *is* performed

therefore

- the behavior of var="$@" should be the one described under Special Parameters 
when word splitting *is* performed

- but the behavior of var="$@" is actually the one described under Special 
Parameters when word splitting is *not* performed

therefore

- even for "$@", word splitting is *not* performed

therefore

- there is no exception: word splitting is *not* performed, period.


> If Chet feels that a change is needed here, I would remove the "with
> the exception of" clause entirely.  Just say "Word splitting is not
> performed."

This is what I've been proposing from the start. Because "with the exception 
of" makes it logically incorrect.