If you want to split with read, use a tempenv IFS:
dualbus@hp:~/local/src/gnu/bash$ bash -c 'IFS="?" read a b c <<<
"hello?world?xyz"; echo "$a"'
hello
If you want to split using word splitting:
dualbus@hp:~/local/src/gnu/bash$ bash -c 'v="hello?world?xyz";
IFS="?"; set -- $v; unset IFS; echo "$1"'
hello
If you want to use the $* parameter:
dualbus@hp:~/local/src/gnu/bash$ bash -c 'set -- abc def ghi;
IFS="?"; echo "$*"; unset IFS'
abc?def?ghi
I didn't say there's no bug. There is. And when I said,
"self-inflicted harm", I meant that leaving as IFS='][?*' is not
really needed. If you need to do some word splitting, set the IFS, and
then restore its original value or unset it.
Perhaps I'm missing something here, but I think for the relevant use
cases of IFS, there are sane work arounds.
What other use case would require of setting IFS to such value permanently?
