I have a text file in the following form and i want to store it in 2-d array. After that i have to generate a XMLfile using the elements of array.
Please tell me :how store this file in the form of 2-d array and then howto generate XML file using that array...all coding has to be done in bash shell

Text file: Let Name be : Test.txt

Abc Def Ghi Jkl
Lmn Nop Qrs Tuv
... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... (anynumber of records )

The array should be like that

arr[0][0] =Abc arr[0][1]=Def arr[0][2]=Ghi arr[0][3]=Jkl
arr[1][0] = Lmn arr[1][1]= Nop ........ ........
...... ...... ........ ...........


Then XML format is known to me i to generate XMLfile using that array elements...

Note : You can suggest any other form of data structure for storing information (Text File) but should be 2-d ,but please also mention about how to generate XMLfile ...

Post the output format that your expecting , since i am not familiar with the XML format.

the format of XML is


<data>
< Field1 name="Abc">
<Otherfield name="Def"><\Otherfield>
<Otherfield name="Ghi"><\Otherfield>
<Otherfield name="Jkl"><\Otherfield>
<\Field1>
<Field2 name="Lmn">
<Otherfield name="Mno"><\Otherfield>
<Otherfield name="Pqr"><\Otherfield>
....................................
....................................
<\Field2>
.................
................


I hope its clear that Abc , Def .... above are the values that has to be retrieved form 2-d array and has to be placed in its proper place

plzz feel free to ask any other question

Never worked in array kind of stuff,

Might be this one will be useful.

awk  '{cou++;for(i=1;i<=NF;i++)
{ if(i==1) { print "< Filed"cou" name=\"" $1 "\">" } 
  else {print "<Otherfield name=\"" $i "\"><\Otherfield>" } 
} {print "<\Filed"cou">" }
} '  file_name.txt

There are no 2D arrays in bash. It would be simplier to make the xml file directly by processing the input file.
Say if you want to do so.

panyam almost there

# awk  'BEGIN{print "<data>"}
{cou++;for(i=1;i<=NF;i++)
{ if(i==1) { print "< Filed"cou" name=\"" $1 "\">" }
  else {print "<Otherfield name=\"" $i "\"><\Otherfield>" }
} {print "<\/Filed"cou">" }
} END{print "<\/data>"}' flatfile

Thanks "danmero" . I missed the "data" part.