[SOLVED] shell script with dialog box

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 12:41 PM

I don't know if this is the right place to ask my question because it might be a software issue.
Anyway I have debian wheezy installed on my computer but I am using the kernel 3.14 amd64 and wheezy backports software repository. I am trying to run what I thought was a simple script involving KVM and the dialog program for input type boxes. For some reason I can't get the script to run on my computer. Here is the script:
#!/bin/bash

#this will launch your virtual machines with a graphical menu
#in your terminal
cd /home/lilbit/Qemu # my directory with virtual disk drives

dialogue --backtitle "KVM Virtualization Launcher" --title "Main\
Menu" --menu "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select" 15 50 10\
deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1"\
deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2"\
deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3" 2>/tmp/menuitem.$$

menuitem=`cat /tmp/menuitem.$$`

case $menuitem in
deb1_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb1_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb2_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb2_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb3_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb3_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
esac

I get absolutely no error messages or anything back to tell me anything is wrong here but I can't see anything executing is my script OK?

PLease help, I am trying to make something easy for a friend to use and simply launch their virtualizations.

NevemTeve · 09-08-2014, 12:54 PM

Please use [code] and [/code] tags.

Are you running this script from a terminal window? If not, then do so. You might even do this:

Code:

bash -xv name-of-yourscript.sh

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 01:16 PM

I did what you said and got some output:

#!/bin/bash

#this will launch your virtual machines with a graphical menu
#in your terminal
cd /home/lilbit/Qemu # my directory with virtual disk drives
+ cd /home/lilbit/Qemu

dialogue --backtitle "KVM Virtualization Launcher" --title "Main\
Menu" --menu "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select" 15 50 10\
deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1"\
deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2"\
deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3" 2>/tmp/menuitem.$$
+ dialogue --backtitle 'KVM Virtualization Launcher' --title MainMenu --menu 'Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select' 15 50 10deb1_HDA.img 'Launches deb1deb2_HDA.img' 'Launches deb2deb3_HDA.img' 'Launches deb3'

menuitem=`cat /tmp/menuitem.$$`
cat /tmp/menuitem.$$
++ cat /tmp/menuitem.1772
+ menuitem='virt-launcher.sh: line 8: dialogue: command not found'

case $menuitem in
deb1_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb1_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb2_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb2_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb3_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb3_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
esac
+ case $menuitem in

and after reading the part that says: + menuitem='virt-launcher.sh: line 8: dialogue: command not found' I went back and changed dialogue to dialog because I think that is the correct name and ran it again with bash -xv and received the reply:
menuitem=`cat /tmp/menuitem.$$`
cat /tmp/menuitem.$$
++ cat /tmp/menuitem.1765
+ menuitem='
Error: Expected 2 arguments, found only 1.
Use --help to list options.'

case $menuitem in
deb1_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb1_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb2_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb2_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
deb3_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb3_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
esac
+ case $menuitem in

I don't understand what it means when it is expecting 2 args but found only 1

Thanks for the reply though.

NevemTeve · 09-08-2014, 01:37 PM

What is difficult with using [code] and [/code] tags?

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 01:50 PM

I don't know how and am not too sure what you mean so does that mean I'm screwed on the help here?

NevemTeve · 09-08-2014, 02:03 PM

Please read this topic first: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...gs-4175464257/

Edit:
Here is an example:

[code]

Code:

bash -xve virt-launcher.sh

[/code]

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 02:16 PM

Ok let's try again I am using Bash to write a shell script.
here is the script

Code:

#!/bin/bash                                                                                                                                                             

#this will launch your virtual machines with a graphical menu                                                                                                           
#in your terminal                                                                                                                                                       
cd /home/<username>/Qemu # my directory with virtual disk drives                                                                                                            


dialog --backtitle "KVM Virtualization Launcher" --title "Main\                                                                                                         
Menu" --menu "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select" 15 50 10\
deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1"\
deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2"\
deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3" 2>/tmp/menuitem.$$

menuitem=`cat /tmp/menuitem.$$`
opt=$?

case $menuitem in
    deb1_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb1_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
    deb2_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb2_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
    deb3_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb3_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
esac

I then tried your suggestion of

Code:

bash -xv virt-launcher.sh

and I received the output of

Code:

menuitem=`cat /tmp/menuitem.$`
cat /tmp/menuitem.$
++ cat '/tmp/menuitem.$'
+ menuitem='
Error: Expected 2 arguments, found only 1.
Use --help to list options.'
opt=$?
+ opt=0

case $menuitem in
    deb1_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb1_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
    deb2_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb2_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
    deb3_HDA.img) kvm -hda deb3_HDA.img -m 256 -smp 2 -net nic -net tap,ifname=tap0,script=no,downscript=no;;
esac
+ case $menuitem in

please explain to many what I am missing here I don't understand what is being expressed in the error message of expected 2 args, found 1

Greatly appreciated

NevemTeve · 09-08-2014, 02:21 PM

You seems to have manually edited the script and/or the output (eg changing between ' and `), please don't do that. Next try option -e too:

Code:

bash -xve virt-launcher.sh

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 02:34 PM

I ran the command again

Code:

bash -xve virt-launcher.sh

this time got the output

Code:

#!/bin/bash

#this will launch your virtual machines with a graphical menu 
#in your terminal
cd /home/lilbit/Qemu # my directory with virtual disk drives
+ cd /home/lilbit/Qemu


dialog --backtitle "KVM Virtualization Launcher" --title "Main\
Menu" --menu "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select" 15 50 10\
deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1"\
deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2"\
deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3" 2>/tmp/menuitem.$$
+ dialog --backtitle 'KVM Virtualization Launcher' --title MainMenu --menu 'Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select' 15 50 10deb1_HDA.img 'Launches deb1deb2_HDA.img' 'Launches deb2deb3_HDA.img' 'Launches deb3'

johndoe777 · 09-08-2014, 02:53 PM

I figured out my problem thanks for the pointers on how to debug though I just had to rewrite my section about the dialog box as a single line instead of all the backslashes. I guess I didn't understand what the purpose of those \'s was. I am just learning this stuff by looking at a website. So, I got no clue about a lot of what I see.

grail · 09-09-2014, 11:33 AM

Here is a working example of the dialog options with multi-line entries:

Code:

dialog --backtitle "KVM"  \
       --title     "Main" \
       --menu      "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select" \
       15 50 10 \
       deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1" \
       deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2" \
       deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3"

Or perhaps a cleaner alternative:

Code:

dialog_items=( --backtitle "KVM"
               --title     "Main"
               --menu      "Move using [UP] [DOWN], [ENTER] to Select"
               15 50 10
               deb1_HDA.img "Launches deb1"
               deb2_HDA.img "Launches deb2"
               deb3_HDA.img "Launches deb3"
             )

dialog "${dialog_items[@]}"