$ diff arch-package-counter.sh arch-package-counter-patch.sh 
--- arch-package-counter.sh     2007-02-03 15:40:25.000000000 +0100
+++ arch-package-counter-patch.sh       2007-02-03 15:55:52.000000000 +0100
@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@
 #
 echo "Number of pkgs in the repos (This may take a while):"
 echo "----------------------------------------------------"
-current=`pacman -Sl current |wc -l`
-testing=`pacman -Sl testing |wc -l`
-extra=`pacman -Sl extra |wc -l`
-unstable=`pacman -Sl unstable |wc -l`
-community=`pacman -Sl community |wc -l`
+for i in {current,testing,extra,unstable,community}; do
+       export $i=$(pacman -Sl $i | wc -l);
+done
+
 echo "Packages in current repository:          $current"
 echo "Packages in testing repository:          $testing"
 echo "Packages in extra repository:            $extra"