"set"-output cannot be reread

[Wolfgang Schludi]

Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: i386
OS: linux
Compiler: gcc
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='i386' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='i386-suse-linux' -DCONF_VENDOR='suse' 
-DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H  -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -I. -I/usr/include -I. 
-I./include -I./lib -I/usr/include -O2 -m486 -D_GNU_SOURCE -Wall -pipe
uname output: Linux tristan 2.2.16 #3 SMP Sat Sep 2 14:25:00 MEST 2000 i686 
unknown
Machine Type: i386-suse-linux

Bash Version: 2.04
Patch Level: 0
Release Status: release

Description:
        the bash manual says:

        : [...]
        : set [--abefhkmnptuvxBCHP] [-o option] [arg ...]
        :        Without  options,  the name and value of each shell
        :        variable are displayed in  a  format  that  can  be
        :        reused as input. [...]

        I understood this to mean, that I can redirect the output from
        "set" into a file and later I can source that file with ".".

        But it seems, that the output of functions is not compatible for
        reuse. They look like declarations of empty arrays, followed by
        code between "{" and "}", that is immediately executed.

Repeat-By:
        f() { echo function; }
        set > /tmp/set.test
        . /tmp/set.test

Fix:
        no fix.

But maybe I'm trying to solve my problem with the wrong
tool/way. "typeset" seems to be worse, since it doesn't quote values
that contain whitespace. Similar for "env".

What I'm aiming for is:

save the state/environment of the current session/shell in a file and
use that file in a different shell as input to get a similar
environment

I know that it's not possible to get exactly the same environment
(readonly-vars, $$, etc.). But if the output from "set" could be used
as shell-script for "." that would do it for me.

any suggestions?

regards,
        schludi