Bash script - repeated command
 

Hi folks,

I have a script which needs following command to repeat confirmation on questions.

If for 10+ confirmations there will be a long script. Kindly advise how to avoid it.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

y dont' you just use the while loop??

Just make a seperate file having the questions and then use the script as

q_file is the file containing all the question u ask i the script.

But "cp -r /home/satimis/Document/*" does not suggest the folder name. Thus only copies the "Document/" contents only everytime. So it is not fuctional for what satimis is trying to do.

How about:

This assuming "q_file" looks like:
Photo
Documents
New_Folder
Whatever

Also I think you want:

cp -r /home/satimis/$i/ /home/satimis/Temp/dir1/

Because you want to copie the whole directory and not just the files within right?

But micxz is missing the dir1, dir2, ... requirement, what about:

Point taken i just missed on that.:D

for i in `cat q_file`

is the same as

for i in Document Photo.....

In this example, so how am I missing dir1 and dir2...

If you look closely to the requirements, each copy is going to a different directory:
Document is going to dir1
Photo is going to dir2,
your solution is copying all to dir1, so doesn't comply.

By the way:

is doing the very same operation that
assuming $i is a directory, I dont see a point here.

Yep your right and I see now about this being pointless. Maybe it was meant to be:

cp -r /home/satimis/$i/ /home/satimis/Temp/

Then maybe there is a point.

Nope, the same.

The only difference in using a trailing slash is that if $i is a file, an error is triggered and the file is not copied, while with no slash, whether it is a file or a directory doesn't matter, it is copied to the destination directory.

For the first remark, I was not arguing of using a separate file for the directory list, which can be a good idea, especially if the file itself need to created by another program, but about the extra level of directories necessary to avoid same name files to be overwritten.

Hi folks,

Lot of thanks for your suggestions. Hereinunder is the complete script
dir1, dir2…. etc. are only transit directories. The files copied to there will be removed finally after the running of the whole script.

Actually this is not a good arrangement. But I’m not allowed to touch the “cdrecord” commandI need a further confirmation before adding dir1, dir2, dir3…. etc. each to the ISO file.

Have any other suggestions? TIA

B.R.
satimis

Some comments:

you call the cancel command if the user is not willing to add Document of Photo directories. This command's purpose is to cancel a printing job in progress, I'm quite sure it's not what you meant.

Why didn't you take or comment any of our suggestions about optimisation ?

You last loop isn't testing the validity of the directory entered.

#!/bin/bash
# Set ISO filename...
user=$(whoami)
now=$(date +%Y.%m.%d.%R)
ISO_File="/home/satimis/To_burn/image_${user}_${now}.iso"
dir1=/Document/=/home/satimis/Temp/dir1/
dir2=/Photo/=/home/satimis/Temp/dir2/


# This starts my modifications. Note this is untested!
cp_documents() {
cp -r /home/satimis/Document/* /home/satimis/Temp/dir1/
}

cp_pictures() {
cp -r /home/satimis/Pictures/* /home/satimis/Temp/dir1/
}

REPLY="B"
until [ $REPLY = "" ]
do
echo "Choose one of the following:"
echo
echo "[D]ocuments"
echo "[P]ictures"
echo "[B]oth"
echo
echo "[Enter] = Exit"
echo

read

case "$REPLY" in

"D" | "d" )
# Accept upper or lowercase input.
cp_documents
;;

"P" | "p" )
cp_pictures
;;

"B" | "b" )
cp_documents
cp_pictures
;;

* )
# Default option.
# Do nothing for other keys
;;

esac
done


# The rest of the script is yours
# Create ISO file...
mkisofs -R -l -graft-points -hide-rr-moved \
$dir1 \
$dir2 \
$list |\
cdrecord dev=ATA:1,0,0 -v -eject -

Hi /bin/bash,

Tks for your advice.

Testing result is as follows;

Script
$ ./cdmakerIt hung here.

Remark: also tried P,p,B,b
same result

B.R.
satimis

You have to user read REPLY on place of just read so that variable read is assigned a value.

Hi /bin/bash,

Further to my last posting. Sorry I made a mistake. Your script works. Because of the size of the directories I have to wait.

Testing result is as follows;

Script
$ ./cdmakerD/d/P/p
worked copying files to dir1/dir2 respectively but can't create ISO file. After hitting >ENTER>
B/b
all files copied to dir1 from [D]ocuments and [P]ictures directories

B.R.
satimis

should be
and
could be improved in

Hi jlliagre,

Tks for your advice. Correction made.

Script$ ./cdmaker
Choose one of the following:

[D]ocument
[P]hoto
[B]oth

[Enter] = Exit

f
Choose one of the following:

[D]ocument
[P]hoto
[B]oth

[Enter] = Exit

p
Choose one of the following:

[D]ocument
[P]hoto
[B]oth

[Enter] = Exit

It hung here after hitting <ENTER>. Files copied to dir1 and dir2 respectively but can't create ISO file.

B.R.
satimis

should be

Actually REPLY is the default variable used with read if no other variable is supplied.

The problem is with the until test. It needs to be changed like this.
until [ $REPLY = "" ]
s/b
until [ z$REPLY = "z" ]

Sorry about that. But I did say it was untested.

Hi /bin/bash,

Tks for your advice. The script is now running without problem.

Could you please help me to understand the function of "z"

TIA

B.R.
satimis

The ugly way to handle empty strings:
a better way to do it:
and the right way:
Does anyone reads my previous postings,I already gave a working solution ...:confused:

Hi jlliagre,

Both suggestions of yours worked for me here.

I don't understand the function of "z", could you please explain it.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

Try reading, mate :) Has always worked miracles for me ;}


http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/testconstructs.html

Cheers,
Tink

The z is prefixing the variable, so if the variable is empty, the test if [ z = "z" ] is true.
Without the z on both sides, the test would become if [ = "" ] which is a syntax error.

Any character or string can be used instead of z, but anyway, this is a very poor programming technique, as the variable can be put between double quotes to avoid the shell complaining.

Hi jlliagre,

Noted with thanks

B.R.
satimis

Hi Tinkster,

Tks for your link.

Sorry, I did not catch "Try reading, mate Has always worked miracles for me"

B.R.
satimis

The nice thing about helping people for free is that no one expects you to sit down and write perfect code, using only "good programming technique." Well usually thats true. :rolleyes:

Anyways satimis, if you are ever in a hurry, you don't have time for debugging and you forget what the test is for empty string, you at least know how to do it the UGLY way. ;)