[ale] bash return and exit

[JD]

Whenever I have a question about Bash, checking the ABSG usually answers it.
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/

On 09/17/2013 06:06 PM, leam hall wrote:
> I've looked at a few google searches and am not sure I understand what I'm
> seeing. In bash, I want to have a function do a test, and have a variable in the
> calling program set based on the function's actions. So far it seems as if I
> have to either "echo" the result or have the calling function use $?.
> 
> Calling script:
> 
> MY_VAR=`my_function`
> 
> # This fails:
> my_function() {
>   do_something
>   return $?
> }
> 
> # This works:
> my_function() {
>   do_something
>   if [ $? -eq 0 ]
>     echo 0
>   else
>     echo 1
>    fi
> }
> 
> The first function works if the parent's calls:
> 
> MY_VAR=`my_function; echo $?`
> 
> Am I looking for something that's just not in bash?
> 
> Leam