ckrange(1)

ckrange, errrange, helprange, valrange -- prompt for and validate 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]]

errange [-W width] [-l lower] [-u upper] [-e error] [-b base]

helprange [-W width] [-l lower] [-u upper] [-h help] [-b base]

valrange [-l lower] [-u upper] [-b base] input

Description

ckrange prompts a user and validates the response. 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 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 is 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 ``Notices'') is displayed.

Three visual tool modules are linked to the ckrange command. They are errange (which formats and displays an error message), helprange (which formats and displays a help message), and valrange (which validates a response). These modules should be used in conjunction with FMLI objects. In this instance, the FMLI object defines the prompt.

The options and arguments for this command are:

-Q: Do not allow quit as a valid response.
-W: Use width as the line length for prompt, help, and error messages.
-l: The lower limit of the range is lower. Default is the machine's largest negative integer or long.
-u: The upper limit of the range is upper. Default is the machine's largest positive integer or long.
-b: The base for input is base. Must be 2 to 36, default is 10.
-d: The default value is default. The default is not validated and so does not have to meet any criteria. If default is non-numeric, ckrange returns 0 and not the alphabetic string.
-h: The help message is help.
-e: The error message is error.
-p: The prompt message is prompt.
-k: Send process ID pid a signal if the user chooses to abort.
-s: When quit is chosen, send signal to the process whose pid is specified by the -k option. If no signal is specified, use SIGTERM.
input: Input to be verified against upper and lower limits and base.

Exit codes

0: Successful execution
1: EOF on input
1: Usage error
3: User termination (quit)

Notices

The default base 10 prompt for ckrange is:

Enter an integer between lower and upper [lower-upper,q,?]

The default base 10 error message is:

ERROR - Please enter an integer between lower and upper.

The default base 10 help message is:

Please enter an integer between lower and upper.

The messages are changed from integer to base base integer if the base is set to a number other than 10.

When the quit option is chosen (and allowed), q is returned along with the return code 3. The valrange module does not produce any output. It returns zero for success and non-zero for failure.