Re: Bash "read" command: want to preload some data

[Ron Johnson <ron.l.johnson@cox.net>]

On 2010-03-06 06:47, Bob Cox wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 06:21:27 -0600, Ron Johnson (ron.l.johnson@cox.net) wrote: 
>
> > On 2010-03-06 04:28, Bob Cox wrote:
> > > What I am trying to do is "preload" a bash read command with a value
> > > which can be accepted, edited or changed by the user.  Some googling
> > > shows that this is dead easy to with the -i option which appeared in
> > > bash version 4 - I have found this:
> > >
> > > ---------------------
> > > Example: ask for a path with a default value.
> > > Note: The -i option was introduced with Bash 4.
> > > read -e -p "Enter the path to the file: " -i "/usr/local/etc/" FILEPATH
> > > The user will be prompted, he can just accept the default, or edit it.
> > > ---------------------
> > >
> > > This is exactly what I want.  However, for the sake of compatibility, I
> > > would like to do the same thing using older versions of bash, even if it
> > > means messier coding.  Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this
> > > please?
> > How about:
> >
> >     read ...
> >     if [ -z "$FILEPATH" ]
> >     then
> >        FILRPATH=/usr/local/etc/"
> >     if
>
> Thanks Ron. I can see what you are getting at, but unless I am missing
> something, that still won't display the contents of the string to the
> user, providing him or her with the opportunity to accept or edit it.

A tiny C/Python/Perl program?  Make those lousy SOBs upgrade to BASH4?

--
Ron Johnson, Jr.
Jefferson LA  USA

"If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given
us arms."  Mike Ditka