shell script multiple select

Question

I have a select statement that shows a list of dynamic files ($list). I'd like to be able to input "1, 2, 3" and it will have file 1, file 2, and file 3 be selected. How do I modify this select (maybe even a different structure is needed) to allow multiple options to be selected?

select option in $list; do
        case $option in
            * )
                if [ "$option" ]; then
                    echo "Selected: " $option
                    break
                else
                    echo "Invalid input. Try again."
                fi;
        esac
    done

Do you just want to add cases 1), 2), 3)? Or do you need something more complicated? — Carl Norum
– Carl Norum, Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 5:43
It will be more complicated. $list contains all the files in a specific directory. Adding and removing files to the directory will change the case number. I rather not update the shell script each time. — wwwuser
– wwwuser, Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 5:46
Perhaps you should consider another plan of attack, either using dialog or a more complex language. — Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams
– Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams, Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 6:21
You could possibly make pseudo-checkboxes using select but I think that's it. You're probably better off with dialog as @IgnacioVazquez-Abrams pointed out. — Michał Górny
– Michał Górny, Commented Aug 11, 2012 at 9:10

Anjan Biswas · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-12 03:47:38Z

8

This code doesn't use select , but does pretty much what you want-

#! /bin/bash
files=("file1" "file2" "file3" "file4" "Quit")

menuitems() {
    echo "Avaliable options:"
    for i in ${!files[@]}; do
        printf "%3d%s) %s\n" $((i+1)) "${choices[i]:- }" "${files[i]}"
    done
    [[ "$msg" ]] && echo "$msg"; :
}

prompt="Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): "
while menuitems && read -rp "$prompt" num && [[ "$num" ]]; do
    [[ "$num" != *[![:digit:]]* ]] && (( num > 0 && num <= ${#files[@]} )) || {
        msg="Invalid option: $num"; continue
    }
    if [ $num == ${#files[@]} ];then
      exit
    fi
    ((num--)); msg="${files[num]} was ${choices[num]:+un-}selected"
    [[ "${choices[num]}" ]] && choices[num]="" || choices[num]="x"
done

printf "You selected"; msg=" nothing"
for i in ${!files[@]}; do
    [[ "${choices[i]}" ]] && { printf " %s" "${files[i]}"; msg=""; }
done
echo "$msg"

Demo-

$ ./test.sh
Avaliable options:
  1 ) file1
  2 ) file2
  3 ) file3
  4 ) file4
  5 ) Quit
Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): 1
Avaliable options:
  1x) file1
  2 ) file2
  3 ) file3
  4 ) file4
  5 ) Quit
file1 was selected
Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): 2
Avaliable options:
  1x) file1
  2x) file2
  3 ) file3
  4 ) file4
  5 ) Quit
file2 was selected
Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): 3
Avaliable options:
  1x) file1
  2x) file2
  3x) file3
  4 ) file4
  5 ) Quit
file3 was selected
Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): 1
Avaliable options:
  1 ) file1
  2x) file2
  3x) file3
  4 ) file4
  5 ) Quit
file1 was un-selected
Enter an option (enter again to uncheck, press RETURN when done): 
You selected file2 file3

answered Aug 12, 2012 at 3:47

Anjan Biswas

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2 Comments

wwwuser Over a year ago

When you prompt for "Enter an option", I'm looking to be able to input: "1, 2, 3" and it output, "You selected file1, file2, file3." Your code only allows you to select one option at a time then prompt the user again. I'm looking for one prompt and to be able to input multiple options.

Anjan Biswas Over a year ago

If u are looking for that specific reqmt then i think you are better off with dialog. The input you are suggesting "1, 2, 3" could be too much error prone, i.e. user could enter "123", "1,23", "111", "1 2 3" etc. etc. and the code will spend more time parsing through and validating that rather than doing actual work. You would probably end up creating a huge regular expression "trap" which would be difficult to read, understand, and maintain.

Jaleks · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-02 14:03:48Z

As select always fills the variable REPLY, you could loop through your $list afterwards. (The VAR in $list $VAR is only filled, with single selection.) e.g:

select ITEMS in $list; do
    case $ITEMS in
        * )
            break
    esac
done

# it $ITEMS is empty, but $REPLY not, we got multi selection
if [ -z "$ITEMS" ] && [ -n "$REPLY" ]; then
    # add some spaces to begin and end for simpler checking below, regarding multi digit REPLY entries
    REPLY_LIST=" $REPLY "
    CNT=1
    for ITEM in $list; do
        if [[ "$REPLY_LIST" =~ " $CNT " ]]; then
            ITEMS="$ITEMS $ITEM"
        fi
        CNT=$((CNT+1))
    done
elif [ -z "$ITEMS" ]; then
    echo nothing selected
    exit
fi
echo "Selected: $ITEMS ($REPLY)"

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