typeset - Assign attributes and values to variables

Format

typeset + -f [tux] name ...

typeset [+ -lprtuxH] [+ -iLR[number]] [variable[=value] ...]

Description

Invoking typeset with no options displays a list of all variables and their attributes. This list is sorted by variable name and includes quoting so that it can be reinput to the shell with the built-in command eval. When only arguments of the form +option are specified, typeset displays a list of the variables that have all specified attributes set. When only arguments of the form -option are present, typeset displays a list of all the variables having all the specified attributes set, and also displays their values.

When the f option is used, typeset applies to functions; otherwise, it applies to variables. For functions, the only other applicable options are -t, -u and -x.

If the command line contains at least one variable, the attributes of each variable are changed. In this case, parameters of the form -option turn on the associated attributes. Parameters of the form +option turn off the associated attributes. (Notice that, contrary to what you might expect, - means on, and + means off.) Parameters of the form variable=value turn on the associated attributes and also assign value to variable.

When typeset is invoked inside a function, a new instance of each variable is created. After the function ends, each variable is restored to the value and attributes it had before the function was called.

Options

-f: Specifies attributes of functions.
-H: Performs file mapping from POSIX to the host name.
-i[number]: Marks each variable as having an integer value, thus making arithmetic faster. If number is given and is nonzero, the output base of each variable is number. The default is decimal.
-l: Converts uppercase characters to lowercase in any value that is assigned to a variable. If the -u option is turned on, this option turns it off.
-P: Writes output to the coprocess. This option is not currently implemented.
-r: Makes each variable read-only. See readonly.
-T: Tags each variable. Tags are user-defined, and have no meaning to the shell. For functions with the -f option, this turns on the xtrace option. For more information about the xtrace option, see set - Set or unset command options and positional parameters.
-u: Converts lowercase characters to uppercase in any value that is assigned to a variable. If the -l option is turned on, this option turns it off.
When used with -f, the -u option indicates that the functions that are named in the command line are not yet defined. The attributes that are specified by the typeset command are applied to the functions once they are defined.
-x: Sets each variable for automatic export. See export.

The last three options that follow justify, within a field, the values assigned to each variable. The width of the field is number if it is defined and is nonzero; otherwise, the width is that of the first assignment that is made to variable.

-L[number]: Left-justifies the values that are assigned to each variable by first removing any leading blanks. Leading zeros are also removed if the -Z option has been turned on. Then, blanks are added on the end or the end of the value is truncated as necessary. If the -R flag is turned on, this option turns it off.
-R[number]: Right-justifies the values that are assigned to each variable by adding leading blanks or by truncating the start of the value as necessary. If the -L flag is turned on, this option turns it off.
-Z[number]: Right-justifies values that are assigned to each variable. If the first nonblank character of value is a digit, leading zeros are used. See also the -L option.

Usage notes

typeset is a built-in shell command as well as a separate utility.

An autoloaded function is defined (loaded) by the /bin/sh shell when invoked as a command name, it's not already defined to the shell, and the function definition file is found in a directory specified in the FPATH shell variable. (For more information see Command execution under the sh command.) To replace an autoloaded function, use the unset -f name command. The next time the function name is invoked, the FPATH search will find the new version.

Localization

typeset uses the following localization environment variables:

LANG
LC_ALL
LC_MESSAGES
NLSPATH

Exit values

0: Successful completion.
2: Failure due to an incorrect command-line argument.

If the command is used to display the values of variables, the exit status value is the number of names that are incorrect.

Messages

Possible error messages include:

Base number not in [2,36]: You used the -i option to specify a base for an integer, but the base was not in the range 2 through 36. All bases must be in this range.
name not a function: You tried to declare the given name as a function, but the name already referred to something that was not a function (for example, a variable).

Portability

POSIX.2. It is an extension to the POSIX.2 and XPG standards.

Related information

export, readonly, sh