When you want to save values between functions of your bash script, there are several ways:

  - Use the same variable name and don't create them as "local" to a function <code bash>function myfunc()
{
    myresult='some value'
}

myfunc
echo $myresult</code> :!: Quite Dangerous :!:
  - Let you function handle arguments: <code bash>function myfunc()
{
    local  __resultvar=$1
    local  myresult='some value'
    eval $__resultvar="'$myresult'"
}

myfunc result
echo $result</code>\\

Reference: [[http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/return-values-bash-functions]]