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ckpath(1)                USER COMMANDS                  ckpath(1)



NAME
     ckpath - display a prompt; verify and return a pathname

SYNOPSIS
     ckpath [-Q] [-W width] [-a|l] [-b|c|g|y] [-n|[o|z]]  [-rtwx]
     [-d default]
     [-h help] [-e error] [-p prompt] [-k pid [-s signal]]

     errpath [-W] [-a|l] [-b|c|g|y] [-n|[o|z]] [-rtwx] [-e error]
     helppath [-W] [-a|l] [-b|c|g|y] [-n|[o|z]] [-rtwx] [-h help]
     valpath [-a|l] [-b|c|g|y] [-n|[o|z]] [-rtwx] input

DESCRIPTION
     ckpath prompts  a  user  and  validates  the  response.   It
     defines, among other things, a prompt message whose response
     should be a pathname, text for help and error messages,  and
     a default value (which will be returned if the user responds
     with a carriage return).  The pathname must  obey  the  cri-
     teria  specified  by the first group of options.  If no cri-
     teria is defined, the pathname must be  for  a  normal  file
     that  does  not  yet  exist.  If neither -a (absolute) or -l
     (relative) is given, then either is  assumed  to  be  valid.
     All  messages are limited in length to 70 characters and are
     formatted automatically.  Any white space used in the defin-
     ition  (including  newline) is stripped.  The -W option can-
     cels 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  ckpath  command.   They  are
     errpath (which formats and displays an error message), help-
     path (which formats and displays a help message),  and  val-
     path  (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 argu-
     ments 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.

     -a   Pathname must be an absolute path.

     -l   Pathname must be a relative path.

     -b   Pathname must be a block special file.

     -c   Pathname must be a character special file.



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ckpath(1)                USER COMMANDS                  ckpath(1)



     -g   Pathname must be a regular file.

     -y   Pathname must be a directory.

     -n   Pathname must not exist (must be new).

     -o   Pathname must exist (must be old).

     -z   Pathname must have a length greater than 0 bytes.

     -r   Pathname must be readable.

     -t   Pathname must be creatable (touchable).  Pathname  will
          be created if it does not already exist.

     -w   Pathname must be writable.

     -x   Pathname must be executable.

     -d   Defines the default value as default.  The  default  is
          not  validated  and  so  does not have to meet any cri-
          teria.

     -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 validation options.

EXIT CODES
     0 = Successful execution
     1 = EOF on input
     2 = Usage error
     3 = User termination (quit)
     4 = Mutually exclusive options

NOTES
     The text of the default messages for ckpath depends upon the
     criteria  options  that  have been used.  An example default
     prompt for ckpath (using the -a option) is:

       Enter a pathname [?,q]:



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ckpath(1)                USER COMMANDS                  ckpath(1)



    An example default error message  (using the -a option) is:

      ERROR  -  Invalid  pathname  entered.   A  pathname  is   a
      filename, optionally preceded by parent directories.

   An example default help message is:

     A pathname is a  filename,  optionally  preceded  by  parent
     directories.  The pathname you enter:
     - must contain 1 to {NAMEMAX} characters
     - must not contain a spaces or special characters
  NAME_MAX is a system variable  that  is  defined  in  limits.h.
  When  the  quit  option  is chosen (and allowed), q is returned
  along with the return code 3.  The valpath module will not pro-
  duce  any output.  It returns zero for success and non-zero for
  failure.







































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Typewritten Software • bear@typewritten.org • Edmonds, WA 98026