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User Input Cheatsheet

This document provides an overview of user input handling in shell scripting, focusing on positional and special parameters, as well as the read and select commands. It includes examples demonstrating how to use these features to capture user input and display options. Additionally, it outlines various options available for the read command to customize user interaction.

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bruno novaes
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8 views6 pages

User Input Cheatsheet

This document provides an overview of user input handling in shell scripting, focusing on positional and special parameters, as well as the read and select commands. It includes examples demonstrating how to use these features to capture user input and display options. Additionally, it outlines various options available for the read command to customize user interaction.

Uploaded by

bruno novaes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SECTION 4

REQUESTING
USER INPUT

SECTION CHEAT SHEET


POSITIONAL PARAMETERS

The shell assigns numbers called positional parameters to


each command-line argument that is entered. ($1, $2, $3…)

Example Script:

myscript Tom /home/Tom red

#!/bin/bash
echo “My Name is $1”
echo “My home directory is $2”
echo “My favourite colour is $3”
SPECIAL PARAMETERS

Special parameters are like regular parameters, but are


created for us by the shell, and are unmodifiable

Special Parameter
Description Command
Parameter Value for
Line
Command Line

Stores the number of example.sh 1 2 3 3


$# command line arguments
provided to the script

$0 Stores the script name test.sh 1 2 3 test.sh

Expands to each example.sh "daily reports" daily reports


$@ positional parameter as (2 words)
its own word with
subsequent word splitting

Expands to each daily reports


“$@” example.sh "daily reports"
positional parameter as (1 word)
its own word without
subsequent word splitting

$* Exactly the same as $@ example.sh "daily reports" daily reports


(2 words)

Expands to all positional IFS=, daily,reports


“$*” parameter as one word example.sh “daily reports” (1 word)
separated by the first
letter of the IFS variable
without subsequent word
splitting

$? Gives the exit code echo “hello” 0


returned by the most echo $? (because echo “hello”
recent command was successful)
THE READ COMMAND:

The read command asks for input from the user and saves
this input into a variable

Syntax for the read command:

read variable

OPTIONS

Displays a prompt to user about what information


-p “prompt”
they must enter

-t time Timeout if the user does not enter any value within
time seconds.

-s Prevent the input that the user enters from being


shown in the terminal. The “secret” option.

-N chars Limit the users response to exactly chars characters

-n chars Limit the users response to a maximum of


chars characters
Example Script:

#!/bin/bash

read -t 5 -p "Input your first name within 5 seconds: " name


read -n 2 -p "Input your age (max 2 digits): " age
read -s -N 5 -p "Enter your zip code (exactly 5 digits): " zipcode
echo "$name, $age, $zipcode" >> data.csv

THE SELECT COMMAND

The select command provides the user with a dropdown


menu to select from. The user may select an option from
a list of options.

It is also possible to provide a prompt to a user using the


PS3 shell variable.

Syntax for the select command:

PS3="Please select an option below: "


select variable in options ; do
commands...
break
done
Example Script:

#!/bin/bash
PS3="What is the day of the week?: "
select day in mon tue wed thu fri sat sun ; do
echo "The day of the week is $day"
break
done

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