ckrange

, errange

, helprange

, valrange

- prompts for and validates an integer

Synopsis

ckrange [-Q] [-W width] [-l lower] [-u upper] [-b base] 
     [-d default] [-h help] [-e error] [-p prompt] 
     [-k pid [-s signal]]

/usr/sadm/bin/errange [-W width] [-e error] [-l lower] 
     [-u upper] [-b base]

/usr/sadm/bin/helprange [-W width] [-h help] [-l lower] 
     [-u upper] [-b base]

/usr/sadm/bin/valrange [-l lower] [-u upper] [-b base] input

Description

The ckrange utility prompts a user for an integer between a specified range and determines whether this response is valid. It defines, among other things, a prompt message whose response should be an integer in the range specified, text for help and error messages, and a default value (which is returned if the user responds with a RETURN).

This command also defines a range for valid input. If either the lower or upper limit is left undefined, then the range is bounded on only one end.

All messages are limited in length to 79 characters and are formatted automatically. Tabs and newlines are removed after a single whitespace character in a message definition, but spaces are not removed. When a tilde is placed at the beginning or end of a message definition, the default text will be inserted at that point, allowing both custom text and the default text to be displayed.

If the prompt, help or error message is not defined, the default message (as defined under EXAMPLES) is displayed.

Three visual tool modules are linked to the ckrange command. They are errange (which formats and displays an error message on the standard output), helprange (which formats and displays a help message on the standard output), and valrange (which validates a response).

Note: Negative "input" arguments confuse getopt in valrange. By inserting a "-" before the argument, getopt processing will stop. See getopt(1) and Intro(1) about getopt parameter handling. getopt is used to parse positional parameters and to check for legal options.

Options

The following options are supported:

-b base

Defines the base for input. Must be 2 to 36, default is 10. Base conversion uses strtol(3C). Output is always base 10.

-d default

Defines the default value as default. default is converted using strtol(3C) in the desired base. Any characters invalid in the specified base will terminate the strtol conversion without error.

-e error

Defines the error message as error.

-h help

Defines the help message as help.

-k pid

Specifies that process ID pid is to be sent a signal if the user chooses to quit.

-l lower

Defines the lower limit of the range as lower. Default is the machine's largest negative long.

-p prompt

Defines the prompt message as prompt.

-Q

Specifies that quit will not be allowed as a valid response.

-s signal

Specifies that the process ID pid defined with the -k option is to be sent signal signal when quit is chosen. If no signal is specified, SIGTERM is used.

-u upper

Defines the upper limit of the range as upper. Default is the machine's largest positive long.

-W width

Specifies that prompt, help and error messages will be formatted to a line length of width.

Operands

The following operand is supported:

input

Input to be verified against upper and lower limits and base.

Examples

Example 1 Default base 10 prompt

The default base 10 prompt for ckrange is:

example% ckrange
Enter an integer between lower_bound and
upper_bound [lower_bound-upper_bound,?,q]:

Example 2 Default base 10 error message

The default base 10 error message is:

example% /usr/sadm/bin/errange
ERROR: Please enter an integer between lower_bound \
     and upper_bound.

Example 3 Default base 10 help message

The default base 10 help message is:

example% /usr/sadm/bin/helprange
Please enter an integer between lower_bound and upper_bound.

Example 4 Changing messages for a base other than 10

The messages are changed from ``integer'' to ``base base integer'' if the base is set to a number other than 10. For example,

example% /usr/sadm/bin/helprange -b 36

Example 5 Using the quit option

When the quit option is chosen (and allowed), q is returned along with the return code 3. Quit input gets a trailing newline.

Example 6 Using the valrange module

The valrange module will produce a usage message on stderr. It returns 0 for success and non-zero for failure.

example% /usr/sadm/bin/valrange
usage: valrange [-l lower] [-u upper] [-b base] input

Exit Status

The following exit values are returned:

0

Successful execution.

1

EOF on input, or negative width on -W option, or usage error.

2

Usage error.

3

User termination (quit).

Attributes

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

See Also

Intro(1), getopt(1), strtol(3C), attributes(5), signal.h(3HEAD)