shell - Bash global variables not changed when functions is evaled -

i want call function "b" , pass funcion name (a1, a2, etc), called it. , in function, name passed, initialize several variables, can't read them "b" function.

function a1 {     echo "func 1"     result1="a1"     return 0 }  function a2 {     echo "func 2"     anotherresult="a2"     #..some other initialization     return 0 } #...  function b {     output=`$1` #  $1 - function name     echo output=$output     echo result1=$result1 # <--- error! result1 empty! }  b "a1" # main script runs function b , passes other function name 

your function b not call a1.

note output=$($1) not expect, because whatever running inside $(...) executed in different process, , when process terminate, value set not accessible longer.

so:

function b {     output=\`$1\` # <-- not call $1 print      output=`$1`   # <-- ( $($1) better style ) - call whatever                    #     inside $1, in process      $1            # <-- here missing call in current process.     ... } 

you can use redirection e.g. a1 > tmpfile file or named pipe, @ output via file-system while keeping side-effect in current process:

function b {     $1 > tempfile     read output < tempfile      echo output=$output     echo result1=$result1 } 

will expect, use tempfile on file-system.