#!/bin/bash set -euo pipefail ## SOLUTION 1 ## local oldifs="${IFS}" IFS="" for s in ${out_section_list[*]:-}; do log_debug "out_section_list:: $s" done out_section_list=(${out_section_list[@]:-""} "$section_name") out_section_list=(${out_section_list[@]:-""} "bad evil name") IFS="${oldifs}" ## SOLUTION 2 ## local -n workplace_section="ini__${workplace_name}" for k in "${!workplace_section[@]}"; do log_debug "$k" done