1printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf "\t") read a b c; echo "test 1: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 2printf 'a\t\tb\tc\n' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t") read a b c; echo "test 2: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 3printf 'a,,b,c\n' | ( IFS="," read a b c; echo "test 3: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 4printf 'a,,b,c\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 4: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 5printf 'a ,, c\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 5: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 6printf 'a ,, c d\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c d; echo "test 6: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." ) 7printf ' a,,b,c,d , ,\n' | ( IFS=" ," read a b c; echo "test 7: .$a. .$b. .$c." ) 8printf '\t,\ta\t,\tb\tc' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d; echo "test 8: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." ) 9printf '\t\ta\t,\tb\tc' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d; echo "test 9: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d." ) 10printf '\t,\ta\t,,\tb\tc' | ( IFS=$(printf " \t,") read a b c d e; echo "test A: .$a. .$b. .$c. .$d. .$e." ) 11