This report is based on an observation made within the depths of this thread: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-bash/2023-06/msg00094.html.
Attempting to assign an array to any of the following variables with the declare builtin causes bash to immediately exit with no diagnostic message being issued. BASH_ARGC BASH_ARGV BASH_LINENO BASH_SOURCE GROUPS Here is an example. $ bash -c 'declare -p BASH_VERSION; declare BASH_ARGC=(); echo FIN'; echo $? declare -- BASH_VERSION="5.2.15(1)-release" It does not happen if trying to assign a string. $ bash -c 'declare BASH_ARGC=1; echo FIN' FIN There are various other variables bearing the readonly attribute for which this also happens. In the following case, bash does, at least, complain that the variable is readonly. $ bash -c 'declare BASHOPTS=(); echo FIN' bash: line 1: BASHOPTS: readonly variable However: $ bash -c 'declare BASHOPTS=1; echo FIN' bash: line 1: BASHOPTS: readonly variable FIN This seems rather inconsistent. Also, it is confusing for bash to quit without indicating why it did so. -- Kerin Millar
