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Old 11-15-2007, 01:17 PM   #1
snowman81
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Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Michigan
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 282

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Bash script syntax error


My script is supposed to ask for a number between 1 and 10 and prints the number and the square of that number. I posted that piece of code before and got help with it but now I have to do a little error checking and stuff. The error I get is at line 20 and it says "line 20: syntax error near unexpected token `else'". Here is the script:
Code:
#!/bin/bash

action()
{
    echo "your number is  $NUM"
    FINAL=$(( $NUM * NUM ))
    echo "The square of your number is  $FINAL"
}


#Main method

echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
read NUM

if [ "$NUM" -lt 1 ] || [ "$NUM" -gt 10 ] then
	echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
read NUM

else
	if [ "$NUM" -ge 1 ] || [ "$NUM" -le 10 ] then
action

else
	if [ "$NUM" -eq "exit" ] then

exit
fi
 
Old 11-15-2007, 01:24 PM   #2
wolfperkins
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Registered: Oct 2007
Location: Val-des-Monts, Québec, Canada
Distribution: CentOS, RHEL, Fedora
Posts: 110

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The construct for an if statement goes like this:

if [ test ]; then
command
else
command
fi

Your revised script should look like this:
Code:
#!/bin/bash

action()
{
    echo "your number is  $NUM"
    FINAL=$(( $NUM * NUM ))
    echo "The square of your number is  $FINAL"
}


#Main method

echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
read NUM

if [ "$NUM" -lt 1 ] || [ "$NUM" -gt 10 ]; then
	echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
	read NUM
elif [ "$NUM" -ge 1 ] || [ "$NUM" -le 10 ]; then
	action
elif [ "$NUM" -eq "exit" ]; then
	exit
fi
 
Old 11-15-2007, 03:06 PM   #3
Disillusionist
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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: England
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 1,039

Rep: Reputation: 98
A few additional changes.

First, when comparing a string use == instead of -eq

Second, when checking for numbers between 1 and 10 using -le and -ge use an and statement instead of an or statement

if [ $NUM -ge 1 ] || [ $NUM -le 10 ]
will match any integer number (anything else will error!)

if [ $NUM -ge 1 ] && [ $NUM -le 10 ]
will match integer numbers between 1 and 10 only (therefore more acurate)

Third, you are asking for NUM to be reentered if it is not between 1 and 10, however you are not then retesting.

I have taken the liberty of changing the code by using a case statement:

Code:
#!/bin/bash

action()
{
    echo "Your number is  $NUM"
    FINAL=$(( $NUM * NUM ))
    echo "The square of your number is  $FINAL"
}


while true
do
   echo "Please choose an integer number between 1 and 10"
   read NUM

   case $NUM in
      [123456789]|[10] ) action
                         exit;;

      [Ee][Xx][Ii][Tt] ) exit;;

      * ) echo "$NUM is not an integer number between 1 and 10";;
   esac
done
 
Old 11-15-2007, 03:11 PM   #4
Disillusionist
Senior Member
 
Registered: Aug 2004
Location: England
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 1,039

Rep: Reputation: 98
Original changes:

Code:
#!/bin/bash

action()
{
    echo "Your number is  $NUM"
    FINAL=$(( $NUM * NUM ))
    echo "The square of your number is  $FINAL"
}


#Main method

echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
read NUM

while true
do
   if [ "$NUM" == "exit" ]; then
	exit
   elif [ "$NUM" -lt 1 ] || [ "$NUM" -gt 10 ]; then
	echo "Please choose a number between 1 and 10"
	read NUM
   elif [ "$NUM" -ge 1 ] && [ "$NUM" -le 10 ]; then
	action
        exit
   fi
done
The case statement (see previous post), resolves issues that would occur if someone tried typing "Oh I don't know" instead of "3"

Last edited by Disillusionist; 11-15-2007 at 03:18 PM.
 
Old 11-15-2007, 05:39 PM   #5
snowman81
Member
 
Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Michigan
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 282

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 30
Huh, I guess I have a lot to learn, thanks everyone for your help!
 
Old 11-16-2007, 02:35 AM   #6
Disillusionist
Senior Member
 
Registered: Aug 2004
Location: England
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 1,039

Rep: Reputation: 98
Just spotted a typo in my original post.

The case statement for 1 to 10 should be:
Code:
   case $NUM in
      [123456789]|10 ) action
                       exit;;

      [Ee][Xx][Ii][Tt] ) exit;;

      * ) echo "$NUM is not an integer number between 1 and 10";;
   esac
This can be simplified to:
Code:
   case $NUM in
      [1-9]|10 ) action
                 exit;;

      [Ee][Xx][Ii][Tt] ) exit;;

      * ) echo "$NUM is not an integer number between 1 and 10";;
   esac
Note there should be no square brackets around 10, otherwise it will search for either 0 or 1 but not match 10.

EDIT:-

To match 1-100:

Code:
   case $NUM in
      [1-9]|[1-9][0-9]|100 ) action
                 exit;;

      [Ee][Xx][Ii][Tt] ) exit;;

      * ) echo "$NUM is not an integer number between 1 and 100";;
   esac

Last edited by Disillusionist; 11-16-2007 at 02:39 AM.
 
  


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