CODEWITHSUNDEEP
linuxbash
Michelle
Michelle

Reputation: 17

How to pass arguments from command line after case matched

Currently trying to write a looping case script that matches different cases to execute scripts. However, I am unsure as off how to pass arguments into the cases after the cases have been matched! This is what I have but does not work. I am new to bash so thanks for any help in advance!

Edit: I have changed to ${@:2} but when I enter delete text.txt or open x, I get Error returned. I think the program is unable to read the rest of the input.

I run the looping script in the command line -

./loop.sh

I then type

open John

The script open.sh runs to make a new directory with the name of the following argument. It works manually - I type ./open.sh John and a directory named John is created. Here I wish to type open John which enters the loop, matches the open case and then puts John after the command to run the script and make the directory.

If I type ./loop.sh

Then open it does match it. But cannot run the script because the script requires an argument

#!/bin/bash

while true; do
        read request
        case $request in
         open)
                 ./open.sh "${@:2}"
                ;;
        delete)
                 ./delete.sh "${@:2}"
                ;;
        *)
           echo "Error"
                exit 1
       esac
done

Upvotes: 0

Views: 279

Answers (1)

Bodo
Bodo

Reputation: 9855

You have to split the command line entered as request into separate arguments. One way to do this is the set shell builtin, see e.g. the end of https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/html_node/The-Set-Builtin.html

example script:

#!/bin/bash

while true; do
        read request
        # split into positional parameters $1, $1, ...
        set -- $request
        # the first word is now $1
        case "$1" in
        open)
                ./open.sh "${@:2}"
                ;;
        delete)
                ./delete.sh "${@:2}"
                ;;
        *)
           echo "Error" >&2
                exit 1
       esac
done

Upvotes: 1

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