bash vars checks

vars_check.sh

function check_var_empty() {
    # make sure the variables hold some value
    for var in "${vars_to_check[@]}"; do
        [[ "x${!var}" == "x" ]] && echo "The variable $var is empty, and should not. Will abort." && VAR_EMPTY=1
    done
    [[ ! -z $VAR_EMPTY ]] && exit -1
}

function sanitize() {
    # only allow the characters we want/need
    for var in "${vars_to_check[@]}"; do
        eval $var=${!var//[^a-zA-Z0-9_\/\.-]/}
    done
}

vars_to_check=( "TEST1" "TEST2" )
check_var_empty $vars_to_check
sanitize $vars_to_check