ckstr(1) USER COMMANDS 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 com-
mand 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, lead-
ing 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 begin-
ning 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 for-
mats and displays a help message), and valstr (which vali-
dates a response). These modules should be used in conjunc-
tion with FACE objects. In this instance, the FACE object
defines the prompt. The options and arguments for this com-
mand 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.
-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.
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ckstr(1) USER COMMANDS ckstr(1)
-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 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 format length and/or regu-
lar 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 vali-
dation involved. The user will be told either that the
length or the pattern matching failed. The default help mes-
sage 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 defini-
tion of a string. 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.
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