Q. I need to write a shell script to prompt databasename, username and password from the user. How do I take a single line of input from the user in a shell script?
A. You need to use read command in a shell script to read single line of input frm the user in a shell.
One line is read from the standard input (keyboard), or from file descriptor FD if the -u option is supplied, and the first word is assigned to the first NAME, the second word to the second NAME, and so on, with leftover words assigned to the last NAME.
Syntax:
read {variable-name}
read -p {'Prompt text'} {variable-name}
Read single line of input from the user and store to variable called dbname:
read dbname
OR
read -p 'Enter Database name : ' dbname
To display variable value, enter:
echo $dbname
Sample shell script
#!/bin/bash read -p 'Enter mysql database name : ' dbname read -p 'Enter username : ' dbuname read -s -p 'Enter password : ' dbpass mysql -uroot -p'Password'<<EOFMYSQL CREATE DATABASE $dbname; GRANT ALL ON $dbname.* TO $dbuname@localhost IDENTIFIED BY "$dbpass"; EOFMYSQL
Featured Articles:
- 20 Linux System Monitoring Tools Every SysAdmin Should Know
- 20 Linux Server Hardening Security Tips
- My 10 UNIX Command Line Mistakes
- Linux: 20 Iptables Examples For New SysAdmins

- 25 PHP Security Best Practices For Sys Admins
- The Novice Guide To Buying A Linux Laptop
- 10 Greatest Open Source Software Of 2009
- Top 5 Email Client For Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows Users
- Top 20 OpenSSH Server Best Security Practices
- Top 10 Open Source Web-Based Project Management Software
- Top 5 Linux Video Editor Software
Facebook it - Tweet it - Print it -


{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks. this thing worked for my java apps.
Hi Vivek
Thanks for the tips this helps me lot.
thanks