Re: Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
Won't this do what you want? It obviously works on old bash. echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default; read a; For example: testuser@bartlett:~$ echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default;\ read a; declare -p a BASH_VERSION prompt:default declare -- a=default declare -- BASH_VERSION=3.1.17(1)-release testuser@bartlett:~$ testuser@bartlett:~$ testuser@bartlett:~$ echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default;\ read a; declare -p a BASH_VERSION prompt:something else declare -- a=something else declare -- BASH_VERSION=3.1.17(1)-release testuser@bartlett:~$ Sorry to take so long to respond; we've had a large team working on this question full-time to develop this solution. :-) -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4e925184.7010...@internode.on.net
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
Apologies, line wrapping messed up my previous reply, corrected here (I hope). Won't this do what you want? It obviously works on old bash. echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default; read a; For example: testuser@bartlett:~$ echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default; read a; declare -p a BASH_VERSION prompt:default declare -- a=default declare -- BASH_VERSION=3.1.17(1)-release testuser@bartlett:~$ testuser@bartlett:~$ testuser@bartlett:~$ echo -n prompt:; writevt -t `tty` -T default; read a; declare -p a BASH_VERSION prompt:something else declare -- a=something else declare -- BASH_VERSION=3.1.17(1)-release testuser@bartlett:~$ Sorry to take so long to respond; we've had a large team working on this question full-time to develop this solution. :-) -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4e92707b.1020...@internode.on.net
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 21:11:29 -0500, A. Costa (agco...@gis.net) wrote: Bash isn't strictly needed, plain Bourne shell works, using parameter substitution [...] Thank you for you time and trouble. As it happens, I did in fact upgrade this lenny box to use bash version 4.1-1 and all is now working perfectly with the -i option - but thanks again for your efforts. (Debian's minimal 'dash' also has a 'read -i', so for current Debian, the '-i' is universal. Earlier versions, or other *nixs might not though.) Not so sure that is correct about dash: $ apt-cache policy dash dash: Installed: 0.5.5.1-3 Candidate: 0.5.5.1-3 $ ps -p $$ PID TTY TIME CMD 11777 pts/500:00:00 dash $ read -e -p Enter something: -i Default data data read: 16: Illegal option -e $ read -p Enter something: -i Default data data read: 17: Illegal option -i $ read -p Enter something: data Enter something: So it seems it understands neither the -e nor -i options (not that it really matters and TBH it is hardly surprising as dash is supposed to be very lightweight). -- Bob Cox. Stoke Gifford, near Bristol, UK. Please reply to the list only. Do NOT send copies directly to me. http://bobcox.com/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100308172721.ga4...@bobcox.com
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On Mon, 8 Mar 2010 17:27:22 +, Bob Cox wrote: (Debian's minimal 'dash' also has a 'read -i', so for current Debian, the '-i' is universal. Earlier versions, or other *nixs might not though.) Not so sure that is correct about dash... Whoops, you're right, it seems I did a 'man sh' and leapt to conclusions. Turns out 'man sh' unexpectedly links to 'man bash'. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100308195329.06272a92.agco...@gis.net
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
Bash isn't strictly needed, plain Bourne shell works, using parameter
substitution
man sh | grep -A 2 -i parameter:-
${parameter:-word}
Use Default Values. If parameter is unset or null, the expansion of
word is substituted. Otherwise, the value of parameter is substituted.
So:
p=/foobar
read -p gimme a dir or accept default ($p): x
x=${x:-$p}
echo $x
...if the user hits Enter it shows:
gimme a dir or accept default (/foobar):
/foobar
It's better to put that in a function:
input_dir() { p=${1:-/foobar} ; read -p gimme a dir or accept
default ($p): x ; x=${x:-$p} ; echo $x ; }
This function can even take a parameter, if the default
dir needs to be changed on the fly:
% input_dir
gimme a dir or accept default (/foobar): /foobar2
/foobar2
# store results of routine in $x
% x=`input_dir /tmp`
gimme a dir or accept default (/tmp):
% echo $x
/tmp
(Debian's minimal 'dash' also has a 'read -i', so for
current Debian, the '-i' is universal. Earlier versions,
or other *nixs might not though.)
HTH...
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Bash read command: want to preload some data
What I am trying to do is preload a bash read command with a value which can be accepted, edited or changed by the user. Some googling shows that this is dead easy to with the -i option which appeared in bash version 4 - I have found this: - Example: ask for a path with a default value. Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4. read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it. - This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this please? -- Bob Cox. Stoke Gifford, near Bristol, UK. Please reply to the list only. Do NOT send copies directly to me. http://bobcox.com/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100306102840.ga25...@bobcox.com
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On 2010-03-06 04:28, Bob Cox wrote: What I am trying to do is preload a bash read command with a value which can be accepted, edited or changed by the user. Some googling shows that this is dead easy to with the -i option which appeared in bash version 4 - I have found this: - Example: ask for a path with a default value. Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4. read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it. - This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this please? How about: read ... if [ -z $FILEPATH ] then FILRPATH=/usr/local/etc/ if -- Ron Johnson, Jr. Jefferson LA USA If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given us arms. Mike Ditka -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4b9248c7.5070...@cox.net
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 06:21:27 -0600, Ron Johnson (ron.l.john...@cox.net) wrote: On 2010-03-06 04:28, Bob Cox wrote: What I am trying to do is preload a bash read command with a value which can be accepted, edited or changed by the user. Some googling shows that this is dead easy to with the -i option which appeared in bash version 4 - I have found this: - Example: ask for a path with a default value. Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4. read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it. - This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this please? How about: read ... if [ -z $FILEPATH ] then FILRPATH=/usr/local/etc/ if Thanks Ron. I can see what you are getting at, but unless I am missing something, that still won't display the contents of the string to the user, providing him or her with the opportunity to accept or edit it. -- Bob Cox. Stoke Gifford, near Bristol, UK. Please reply to the list only. Do NOT send copies directly to me. http://bobcox.com/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100306124710.gb25...@bobcox.com
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On 2010-03-06 06:47, Bob Cox wrote: On Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 06:21:27 -0600, Ron Johnson (ron.l.john...@cox.net) wrote: On 2010-03-06 04:28, Bob Cox wrote: What I am trying to do is preload a bash read command with a value which can be accepted, edited or changed by the user. Some googling shows that this is dead easy to with the -i option which appeared in bash version 4 - I have found this: - Example: ask for a path with a default value. Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4. read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it. - This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this please? How about: read ... if [ -z $FILEPATH ] then FILRPATH=/usr/local/etc/ if Thanks Ron. I can see what you are getting at, but unless I am missing something, that still won't display the contents of the string to the user, providing him or her with the opportunity to accept or edit it. A tiny C/Python/Perl program? Make those lousy SOBs upgrade to BASH4? -- Ron Johnson, Jr. Jefferson LA USA If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given us arms. Mike Ditka -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4b925a94.6020...@cox.net
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
* Bob Cox (2010-03-06):
[...]
-
Example: ask for a path with a default value.
Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4.
read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH
The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it.
-
This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I
would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it
means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this
please?
PRELOADED=/usr/local/etc
read -e -p Enter the filepath (Use . for the current directory, just hit
ENTER to accept the default ${PRELOADED}, or type something else): FILEPATH
test -z ${FILEPATH} FILEPATH=${PRELOADED}
echo Will use value: ${FILEPATH}
-André
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Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
In 20100306124710.gb25...@bobcox.com, Bob Cox wrote: On Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 06:21:27 -0600, Ron Johnson (ron.l.john...@cox.net) wrote: On 2010-03-06 04:28, Bob Cox wrote: - Example: ask for a path with a default value. Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4. read -e -p Enter the path to the file: -i /usr/local/etc/ FILEPATH The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it. - This is exactly what I want. However, for the sake of compatibility, I would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it means messier coding. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this please? How about: read ... if [ -z $FILEPATH ] then FILRPATH=/usr/local/etc/ if Thanks Ron. I can see what you are getting at, but unless I am missing something, that still won't display the contents of the string to the user, providing him or her with the opportunity to accept or edit it. PROMPT=stuff DEFAULT=path printf '%s [%s] ?' $PROMPT $DEFAULT read FILEPATH if [ -z $FILEPATH ]; then FILEPATH=$DEFAULT fi -- Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. ,= ,-_-. =. b...@iguanasuicide.net ((_/)o o(\_)) ICQ: 514984 YM/AIM: DaTwinkDaddy `-'(. .)`-' http://iguanasuicide.net/\_/ signature.asc Description: This is a digitally signed message part.
Re: Bash read command: want to preload some data
On Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 09:44:13 -0600, Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. (b...@iguanasuicide.net) wrote: PROMPT=stuff DEFAULT=path printf '%s [%s] ?' $PROMPT $DEFAULT read FILEPATH if [ -z $FILEPATH ]; then FILEPATH=$DEFAULT fi Boyd and André - thank you both for your suggestions, which are probably as good as it well get, without the -i functionality in bash4 (assuming I stick to bash - Ron's hint re python noted). To be of use to me, I really want the ability to edit the existing text when it is offered to the user and I think an upgrade to bash 4 is going to be worth a try as this is just a part of a quite big bash script which I have been constantly tweaking for years. Thanks again. -- Bob Cox. Stoke Gifford, near Bristol, UK. Please reply to the list only. Do NOT send copies directly to me. http://bobcox.com/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100306163526.ge25...@bobcox.com
