On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 09:22:21AM +0100, Ulrich Windl wrote:
>     "X=ABC; echo ${X:-2}" outputs "ABC", and not "BC"

When using a negative index/offset, you have to separate it from the
colon so that it is not interpreted as a ${var:-default} substitution.

There are many ways to write it:

  ${x: -2}
  ${x:(-2)}
  ${x:0-2}
  offset=-2; ${x:offset}
  ...

I prefer ${x:(-2)} myself, but they are all valid.

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