Help scripting folder creation

bulldoggk · 09-19-2014, 11:22 AM

I'm trying to use a script to create a directory provided by user input. My test script is simple:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read userpath
mkdir -p $userpath

It creates the path just fine if I enter in normal names for directories, but if I try to use ~ to specify the user's home directory, it actually creates a directory in the current directory named "~".

That's a pain because I have to remove it by inode (something I didn't know how to do until a few minutes ago).

Is there a way to correctly process the ~ in a scripted folder creation?

Thanks!

suicidaleggroll · 09-19-2014, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulldoggk

it actually creates a directory in the current directory named "~".

That's a pain because I have to remove it by inode (something I didn't know how to do until a few minutes ago).

There's no need for that, just delimit it

Code:

$ ls -l
total 0
$ mkdir "~"
$ ls -l
total 4
drwxrwxr-x 2 user user 4096 Sep 19 10:45 ~
$ rmdir \~
$ ls -l
total 0

Now files/directories that begin with a "-", THOSE are fun to try and get rid of.

I'm afraid I can't help with your actual question though...

szboardstretcher · 09-19-2014, 12:18 PM

Use the $HOME environment variable instead of the tilde.

bulldoggk · 09-19-2014, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by szboardstretcher

Use the $HOME environment variable instead of the tilde.

I don't necessarily want it to go to home. I want the user to be able to enter any path (which probably should be home but who am I to judge

)

I could just include instructions like "Please use /home/<username> instead of ~" but I want to idiot-proof this a bit more than that for people that are even less familiar with Linux than I am.

szboardstretcher · 09-19-2014, 12:35 PM

Oh. Use 'eval' to do the tilde substitution then.

ie:

Code:

[root@dev ~]# DIR=~/whatever
[root@dev ~]# eval 'echo $DIR'
/root/whatever

Is that what you mean?

pan64 · 09-19-2014, 12:36 PM

you can try:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read userpath
userpath=$(echo $userpath)

....

netnix99 · 09-19-2014, 01:10 PM

bulldoggk,

Is this what you are looking for???

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read userpath

if [[ $userpath == ~* ]]

  then mkdir -p $HOME/${userpath:1};

else

  mkdir -p $userpath;

fi

bulldoggk · 09-19-2014, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by szboardstretcher

Oh. Use 'eval' to do the tilde substitution then.

ie:

Code:

[root@dev ~]# DIR=~/whatever
[root@dev ~]# eval 'echo $DIR'
/root/whatever

Is that what you mean?

That looked promising, but it didn't work for me.

Script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read USERPATH
echo $USERPATH
eval 'echo $USERPATH'

Output:

Code:

gabe@ubuntu:~$ ./test
Type the path you want to create and push ENTER
~/test1/maybe/this/
~/test1/maybe/this/
~/test1/maybe/this/

Does it matter that I'm on Ubuntu 13.10? @Pan64 - your suggestion had the same result (but thanks!)

Habitual · 09-19-2014, 01:16 PM

Real basic:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
MINPARAMS=1

if [ -n "$1" ]
then
mkdir -pv "$1"
fi 

if [ $# -lt "$MINPARAMS" ]
then
  echo "`basename $0` $HOME/some/directory" 
  echo "that you wish to create"
fi  
exit 0

the
echo "Please type a valid $HOME/some/directory"
is merely a visual suggestion to the user and not enforced.
I used mkdir -pv to offer feedback via the script as to the result.

example:

Code:

./mymkdir.sh LQRocks
mkdir: created directory ‘LQRocks’

verification:

Code:

ls -ld LQRocks/
drwxr-xr-x 2 jj2 jj2 4096 Sep 19 2014  2:17 PM LQRocks/

Have fun with it.

bulldoggk · 09-19-2014, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netnix99

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read userpath

if [[ $userpath == ~* ]]

  then mkdir -p $HOME/${userpath:1};

else

  mkdir -p $userpath;

fi

Perfect, thanks!

netnix99 · 09-19-2014, 01:17 PM

Glad to help!!

pan64 · 09-20-2014, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulldoggk

That looked promising, but it didn't work for me.

Script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Type the path you want to create and push ENTER"
read USERPATH
echo $USERPATH
eval 'echo $USERPATH'

Output:

Code:

gabe@ubuntu:~$ ./test
Type the path you want to create and push ENTER
~/test1/maybe/this/
~/test1/maybe/this/
~/test1/maybe/this/

Does it matter that I'm on Ubuntu 13.10? @Pan64 - your suggestion had the same result (but thanks!)

you must not use eval. It should work, but I need to see the real script you tried...