Just perfect!
######VARIABLE DEFINITIONS#######
LIST=1,2,3,4,5
#################################
# Add a trailing comma to the list variable
LOOPVAR=${LIST},
# Loop as long as there is a comma in the variable
while echo $LOOPVAR | grep \, &> /dev/null
do
# Grab one item out of the list
LOOPTEMP=${LOOPVAR%%\,*}
# Remove the item we just grabbed from the list,
# as well as the trailing comma
LOOPVAR=${LOOPVAR#*\,}
# some action with your variable
#
# echo $LOOPTEMP
#
# for example
done
Thanks to “The Code and the Fury” for providing the script, see the blog post for more details about how the script actually works.