Detailed Linux Interactive shell script Create dialog Example tutorial

When you install new software in a terminal environment, you can often see the Information dialog box pop up and need your input. The type of dialog box has a password box, checklist, menu, and so on. They can guide you in an intuitive way to enter the necessary information, and the benefits of using such a user-friendly dialog box are obvious. As shown in the following illustration:

When you write an interactive shell script, you can use such a dialog box to accept the user's input. Whiptail can create a terminal-based dialog box in a shell script, a message box process that resembles a zenity or xdialog GUI scripting code. Pre-installed in all Linux release versions.

Here's a look at the use of Whiptail:

Create a message box

A message box displays a confirmation button to continue any text message.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –msgbox ""

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
Whiptail--title ' Test message box '--msgbox ' Create a message box with Whiptail. Choose OK to continue. " 10 60

Create a yes/no dialog box

A dialog box in which the user enters Yes or No.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –yesno ""

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
if (whiptail--title "Test yes/no box"--yesno "Choose between Yes and No." Then)
echo "You chose Yes." Exit status was $?.
Else
echo "You chose No. Exit status was $?.
Fi

Alternatively, you can be "–yes-button", "–no-button" option.

#!/bin/bash
if (whiptail--title "Test yes/no box"--yes-button "Skittles"--no-button "m&m" S "--yesno" Which do you like better? "Then"
echo "You chose Skittles Exit status is $?."
Else
echo "You chose M&m ' s. Exit status was $?.
Fi

Create a form input box

If you want the user to enter any text, you can use an input box.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –inputbox ""

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
pet=$ (whiptail--title "Test free-form Input Box"--inputbox "What is your pet ' s name?" Wigglebutt 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)

Exitstatus=$?
if [$exitstatus = 0]; Then
echo "Your pet name is:" $PET
Else
echo "You chose Cancel."
Fi

Create a password box

The password box is useful when the user needs to enter sensitive information.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –passwordbox ""

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
password=$ (whiptail--title "Test PASSWORD box"--passwordbox "Enter your PASSWORD and choose OK to continue." 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)

Exitstatus=$?
if [$exitstatus = 0]; Then
echo "Your password is:" $PASSWORD
Else
echo "You chose Cancel."
Fi

Create a menu bar

When you want the user to choose an arbitrary number of choices, you can use the menu box.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "

"–menu" "

[ ] . . .

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
option=$ (Whiptail--title "Test menu Dialog"--menu "Choose your Option" 15 60 4
"1" "Grilled spicy sausage"
"2" "Grilled halloumi Cheese"
"3" "Charcoaled Chicken Wings"
"4" "Fried aubergine" 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)

Exitstatus=$?
if [$exitstatus = 0]; Then
echo "Your chosen option:" $OPTION
Else
echo "You chose Cancel."
Fi

Create Radiolist dialog box

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –radiolist "[] ...

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
distros=$ (whiptail--title "Test checklist Dialog"--radiolist
"What is the Linux distro of your choice?" 15 60 4
"Debian" "Venerable Debian" on
"Ubuntu" "popular Ubuntu" off
"CentOS" "Stable CentOS" off
"Mint" "Rising Star Mint" off 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)

Exitstatus=$?
if [$exitstatus = 0]; Then
echo "The Chosen distro is:" $DISTROS
Else
echo "You chose Cancel."
Fi

Create a Table dialog box

When you want the user to select a list of multiple options in the Checklist dialog box is useful, the Radiolist dialog box, only allows you to select one.

Grammar:

Whiptail–title "" –checklist "[] ...

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
distros=$ (whiptail--title "Test checklist Dialog"--checklist
"Choose preferred Linux distros" 15 60 4
"Debian" "Venerable Debian" on
"Ubuntu" "popular Ubuntu" off
"CentOS" "Stable CentOS" on
"Mint" "Rising Star Mint" off 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)

Exitstatus=$?
if [$exitstatus = 0]; Then
echo "Your favorite distros are:" $DISTROS
Else
echo "You chose Cancel."
Fi

Create a progress bar

The progress bar is a user-friendly dialog box. Whiptail reads a percentage (0~100) from the standard input, showing the corresponding count within a table.

Grammar:

Whiptail–gauge ""

Instance:

#!/bin/bash
{
for ((i = 0; I <= i+=20)); Todo
Sleep 1
Echo $i
Done
} | Whiptail--gauge "Please wait while installing" 6 60 0

Haha, how easy it is to create useful dialog boxes in an interactive shell script. The next time you need to write an interactive shell script, try using Whiptail.