accessing variable defined in a function in another script

[sandeep t]

I have two scripts:
input.sh

#component
components_list()
{
_component1="server"
_component2="client"
}
#files
server()
{
_description="servercomponent"
_file1="bin/vinfo.exe"
_file2="Welcome.html"
}

client()
{
_description="clientcomponent"
_file1="Welcome.html"
}

My requirement is to find out the number of _file variables defined in a particular function like in the above example for server function its 2 and for client function its 1.

[sandeep t]

Is it not possible to do this?

[burschik]

Well, of course it's possible. The question is, how do you intend to share the information between these two processes? You could use a file, or a pipe, for example.

[sandeep t]

I plan to call that function from another script and then accessing the just the number of _file variables into a variable and then start reading the values one by one.
Any mechanism will do.

[burschik]

I plan to call that function from another script

It is totally unclear what this is supposed to mean. Will one script source the other? Will you execute the other script in a subshell? What does the script return?

[sandeep t]

Yes, one script will source the other script.
This is the another script which will source the input.sh
build.sh

. input.sh
#get the No of _file variables defined in functions 'server' and 'client' and access their values one-by-one

[burschik]

Well then, what's your problem? You are effectively running a single script, regardless of whether the functions were defined in this file or that file. Put the information in a global variable and access it from anywhere in your script.

[sandeep t]

the problem is the variable names are same in all the functions. if you see _file1 is defined in both the functions.
Can you please tell me how to achieve my objective?

[burschik]

No. This is broken as designed.

[sandeep t]

Yeah, may be my design is wrong. One can't have the same variables in the more than one functions.
Anyways, can I atleast access the variables names and their values?
build.sh

. input.sh
#get variable names and values defined in server functions