[SOLVED] Reading variables in loop in bash.

tommya · 03-19-2012, 09:10 AM

Hi,

Got a script that will eventually run something that takes some takes time, so I want it to check directories exist before it does some other stuff. The variables are input into the directory DIRS on the command line, but now I want to check they all exist, but unfortunately this doesn't work:

Code:

for i in "${DIRS[@]}" 
do
 echo "$i"
 while [ ! -d $i ]; 
  do 
    echo "*************************************************"
    echo "$i"
    echo "*************************************************"
    echo "This directory does not exist, please re-enter..."
    read $i
  done
done

and I get the error:

Code:

./directory-input.sh: line 22: read: `/home/tom/work': not a valid identifier

Any ideas how to make this work? I'm thinking I've got something pretty fundamental wrong with the way it reads the variable...

MensaWater · 03-19-2012, 11:47 AM

You need a conditional - not another while loop inside your for loop:

Code:

for i in "${DIRS[@]}" 
do
 echo "$i"
 if [ ! -d $i ]; 
 then 
    echo "*************************************************"
    echo "$i"
    echo "*************************************************"
    echo "This directory does not exist, please re-enter..."
    read $i
  fi  
done

ntubski · 03-19-2012, 12:27 PM

The main problem is read takes a variable name, not a value:

Code:

read i #good
read $i # bad

@MensaWater: I think the OP wants to keep asking for directory until the user gets it right, thus the while loop.

tommya · 03-19-2012, 12:50 PM

Yes, the while loop is in there to keep asking. Removed the $, working fine now, thanks guys!