# problems with associative array keys with ] and unbalanced [ ] # fixed after bash-4.2 declare -A foo foo=(["version[agent]"]=version.agent) echo ${!foo[@]} echo ${foo[@]} unset foo declare -A foo foo["version[agent]"]=version.agent echo ${!foo[@]} echo ${foo[@]} declare foo["foo[bar]"]=bowl echo ${!foo[@]} echo ${foo[@]} declare -A array2["foo[bar]"]=bleh array2["foobar]"]=bleh array2["foo"]=bbb echo ${!array2[@]} echo ${array2[@]} declare -A foo foo=( ['ab]']=bar ) echo ${!foo[@]} echo ${foo[@]}