ckstr(1) (Essential Utilities) ckstr(1)
NAME
ckstr - display a prompt; verify and return a string answer
SYNOPSIS
ckstr [-Q] [-W width] [[-r regexp] [...]] [-l length] [-d default]
[-h help] [-e error]
[-p prompt] [-k pid [-s signal]]
errstr [-W] [-e error]
helpstr [-W] [-h help]
valstr input
DESCRIPTION
ckstr prompts a user and validates the response. It defines, among
other things, a prompt message whose response should be a string,
text for help and error messages, and a default value (which will be
returned if the user responds with a carriage return).
The answer returned from this command must match the defined regular
expression and be no longer than the length specified. If no regular
expression is given, valid input must be a string with a length less
than or equal to the length defined with no internal, leading or
trailing white space. If no length is defined, the length is not
checked. Either a regular expression or a length must be given with
the command.
All messages are limited in length to 70 characters and are formatted
automatically. Any white space used in the definition (including
newline) is stripped. The -W option cancels the automatic
formatting. 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 NOTES) will be displayed.
Three visual tool modules are linked to the ckstr command. They are
errstr (which formats and displays an error message), helpstr (which
formats and displays a help message), and valstr (which validates a
response). These modules should be used in conjunction with FACE
objects. In this instance, the FACE object defines the prompt.
The options and arguments for this command are:
-Q Specifies that quit will not be allowed as a valid response.
-W Specifies that prompt, help and error messages will be
formatted to a line length of width.
8/91 Page 1
ckstr(1) (Essential Utilities) ckstr(1)
-r Specifies a regular expression, regexp, against which the input
should be validated. May include white space. If multiple
expressions are defined, the answer must match only one of
them.
-l Specifies the maximum length of the input.
-d Defines the default value as default. The default is not
validated and so does not have to meet any criteria.
-h Defines the help messages as help.
-e Defines the error message as error.
-p Defines the prompt message as prompt.
-k Specifies that process ID pid is to be sent a signal if the
user chooses to abort.
-s 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.
input Input to be verified against format length and/or regular
expression criteria.
EXIT CODES
0 = Successful execution
1 = EOF on input
2 = Usage error
3 = User termination (quit)
NOTES
The default prompt for ckstr is:
Enter an appropriate value [?,q]:
The default error message is dependent upon the type of validation
involved. The user will be told either that the length or the
pattern matching failed.
The default help message is also dependent upon the type of
validation involved. If a regular expression has been defined, the
message is:
Please enter a string which matches the following pattern:
regexp
Other messages define the length requirement and the definition of a
string.
Page 2 8/91
ckstr(1) (Essential Utilities) ckstr(1)
When the quit option is chosen (and allowed), q is returned along
with the return code 3. The valstr module will not produce any
output. It returns zero for success and non-zero for failure.
8/91 Page 3