Chapter 10

THE LINUX SHELL

BASH SCRIPT

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 Objectives

Identify different Linux shell environments

Understand the redirection of input and output
Understand and utilize command substitution
Write and configure BASH script using variables,
flow controls interactive input, functions, arithmetic
and arrays

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 The Linux Shell

•Shell is a interface between OS and user. It provides :

• A facility for launching and managing commands and
programs
• An operating environment
• A programming language
•…

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 The Linux Shell

•Type of shell : Bourne shell (sh), Bourne Again shell

(bash), Korn shell (ksh), C shell (csh, tcsh), …
•Programs start from command line have separate
environments : parameters, variables, functions,
aliases…

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 Shell Environment Customize

Type of variables: local (shell variable), global

(environment variable)
List all local variables : use set command
List all global variables : use env command
Default environment variables : PS1, PS2,
HOME, LOGNAME, SHELL, PATH, PAGER,
LPDEST, PWD, DISPLAY, MAIL,...

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 Shell Environment Customize

bash configuration files :

/etc/profile
~/.bash_profile, ~/.bash_login, ~/.profile
set : define a new variable
unset : undefine a variable
export : make a local variable becomes a global
variable

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 Using the bash shell

Alt+Fn : switch between virtual consoles

gpm : mouse server daemon, use it to copy and paste
even between different consoles
Auto complete : use TAB key
Up and down arrow keys : get history commands
(store in ~/.bash_history)
Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+D, *, ?

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 Redirecting Input and Output

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 Redirecting Input and Output

Redirect input : use (<) or (<0)

# mail [email protected] < content
Redirect output : use (>) or (1>)
# ls –l > list_file
( Use set –o noclobber : prevent file overwriting )
Append : use (>>)
Redirect error : use (2>)

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 Pipe and Back ticks (` ,`)

Pipe (|): command1 | command2

Output of command1 becomes input of command2
# ls –l |grep samba
Back ticks (``) or $()
1. # which passwd
/usr/bin/passwd
2. # ls –l /usr/bin/passwd
3. # ls –l `which passwd`

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 Background jobs

Job ( ≠ process) :
# ls –l | grep *.jpg
Run job in the background :
Append with “&” :
# sleep 1000 &
[1] 1234
 If a job is running in foreground, suspend it by Ctrl+Z
then run the following command to switch to
background : # bg %job_id

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 Shell Script

Shell script : is a text file contains shell commands,

functions, aliases, flow control structures, loops,
comments …
All comments begin with “#” but “#!” is used to
identify a commands interpreter
$ more example_script
#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/smbd -D
/usr/bin/nmbd -D

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 Variables

Naming : not begin with a digit, usually in upper case

letters
Assigning : not SPACES around “=“
VAR=value : assign value string to VAR
VAR=`cmd` : the same VAR=$(cmd) ,assign output
of cmd to VAR
# VAR1=`ls /var/log | wc –l`
# echo $VAR1
65

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 Variables

Quotes (single, double) :

# VAR=“Hello World”
# echo “$VAR”
Hello World
# echo ‘$VAR’
$VAR

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 Variable Notation

Expand variables : use ${VAR}

# VAR1=“This is a String” ; echo $VAR1
This is a String
# VAR2=“$VAR1xyz” ; echo $VAR2
Nothing #default
# VAR3=“${VAR1}xyz” ; echo $VAR3
This is a Stringxyz
# VAR4=‘${VAR1}xyz’ ; echo $VAR4
${VAR1}xyz

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 Passing Information to Sript

On the command line, information can be passed to

script through pre-set positional parameters
$0 The name of the script
$1-$9 Parameters are being passed to script
$* A string contains ALL parameters passed to script,
separated by the first character defined in IFS (Internal
File Separator) variable
$@ A list of ALL parameters as separate string
$# Number of parameters included on the command line
The shift command will shift the positional parameters
one or more position from left to right
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 Flow control

Loop : do something more than one time

Loop commands : for ,while ,until

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 The for Loop

Syntax :
for <var> in <list of value>
do
# list of commands to do
done

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 The for Loop Example

This script will rename all file .txt in current directory

to .html
#!/bin/bash
for file in $(ls *.txt)
do
newname=“$(basename $file .txt).html”;
mv $file $newname;
done

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 The while and until Loop
Syntax :
while <condition>
do
# list of commands to do
done
--------------------------------------------------------
until <condition>
do
# list of commands to do
done

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 The while Loop Example
count=0
while [ $count –lt 4 ]
do
echo $count
count=$(($count +1))
done
Output :
0
1
2
3

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 The until Loop Example

count=0
until [ $count –ge 4 ]
do
echo $count
count=$(($count +1))
done
Output :
0
1
2
3

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 Return codes/Exit status

The variable $? contains the return code of the

previous executed command or application.
0 Success
≠0 Failure
The exit n command will cause the script to quit and
assign the value of n to $? variable

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 Tests and Conditions

Test : use “[ ]” around expression

If-then-else structure:
if [ <exp1> ] # include SPACEs
then
#commands to do if the exp1 is true
else
#commands to do if the exp1 is NOT true
fi

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 case Structure

case expression in
pattern1 )
action
;;
pattern2 )
action
;;
…
esac

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 case Test Example
while [ $1 ]
do
echo –n “$1 hits the “
case $1 in
a?c | ab? )
echo “first case.” ;;
abcde )
echo “second case.” ;;
abc123 )
echo “third case.” ;;
*)
echo “third case.” ;;
esac
done
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 Input Interactive

We can input information into script when executing

the script
Commands :
read
select

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 read Command

Allow to read values into variables

Syntax :
read VAR1 VAR2 …
If there is more input than you are looking
for, all the extras are put in the last variable.

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 read Command Example

#!/bin/bash
echo “Enter 2 number, I will add them”
read VAR1 VAR2
echo “$VAR1 + $VAR2 = $(($VAR1+$VAR2))”

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 select Command

•It is great for creating menu

•Syntax :
select <VAR> in <list>
do
# commands
done

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 Case Command example

#!/bin/bash
VAR=$(ls)
select i in $VAR
do
echo $i;
exit;
done

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 Functions

Syntax :
function function_name ()
{
#commands
}
Or
function_name ()
{
#commands
}
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 Functions

Functions can be called in main script by function’s

name.
It inherits ALL parameters in the main script
We can change the return code of the function by using
return n command

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 Summary

Step 1 : create script file (cat, vi, mc, …),enter script

codes.
Step 2 : add execute permission mode to file ( chmod u+x
file )
Step 3 : run it (add script directory to PATH
environment or use absolute path)

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