new_script

This is a shell script template generator (i.e. a script that writes scripts). It is used to create the boilerplate portions of a shell script. It asks the user a series of questions about the script to be generated and then writes the resulting script to a file. Scripts generated with new_script include error and signal handling routines, a command-line option and argument parser, and basic command-line help. Complete instructions and examples can be found here.

Listing

#!/bin/bash
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# new_script - Bash shell script template generator

# Copyright 2012, William Shotts <bshotts@users.sourceforge.net>

# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.

# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
# GNU General Public License at <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/> for
# more details.

# Usage: new_script [-h|--help] [-q|--quiet] [-s|--root] [script]

# Revision history:
# 2014-03-20  Corrected bug in insert_help_message() discovered by
#             Lev Gorenstein <lev@ledorub.poxod.com> (3.3)
# 2014-01-21  Minor formatting corrections (3.2)
# 2014-01-12  Various cleanups (3.1)
# 2012-05-14  Created
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGNAME=${0##*/}
VERSION="3.3"
SCRIPT_SHELL=${SHELL}

# Make some pretty date strings
DATE=$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')
YEAR=$(date +'%Y')

# Get user's real name from passwd file
AUTHOR=$(awk -v USER=$USER \
  'BEGIN { FS = ":" } $1 == USER { print $5 }' < /etc/passwd)

# Construct the user's email address from the hostname or the REPLYTO
# environment variable, if defined
EMAIL_ADDRESS="<${REPLYTO:-${USER}@$HOSTNAME}>"

# Arrays for command-line options and option arguments
declare -a opt opt_desc opt_long opt_arg opt_arg_desc


clean_up() { # Perform pre-exit housekeeping
  return
}

error_exit() {
  echo -e "${PROGNAME}: ${1:-"Unknown Error"}" >&2
  clean_up
  exit 1
}

graceful_exit() {
  clean_up
  exit
}

signal_exit() { # Handle trapped signals
  case $1 in
    INT)
      error_exit "Program interrupted by user" ;;
    TERM)
      echo -e "\n$PROGNAME: Program terminated" >&2
      graceful_exit ;;
    *)
      error_exit "$PROGNAME: Terminating on unknown signal" ;;
  esac
}

usage() {
  echo "Usage: ${PROGNAME} [-h|--help ] [-q|--quiet] [-s|--root] [script]"
}

help_message() {
  cat <<- _EOF_
  ${PROGNAME} ${VERSION}
  Bash shell script template generator.

  $(usage)

  Options:

  -h, --help    Display this help message and exit.
  -q, --quiet   Quiet mode. No prompting. Outputs default script.
  -s, --root    Output script requires root privileges to run.

_EOF_
}

insert_license() {

  if [[ -z $script_license ]]; then
    echo "# All rights reserved."
    return
  fi
  cat <<- _EOF_
  
# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.

# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
# GNU General Public License at <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/> for
# more details.
_EOF_
}

insert_usage() {

  echo -e "usage() {\n  echo \"$usage_str\"\n}"
}

insert_help_message() {

  local arg i long

  echo -e "help_message() {"
  echo -e "  cat <<- _EOF_"
  echo -e "  \$PROGNAME ver. \$VERSION"
  echo -e "  $script_purpose"
  echo -e "\n  \$(usage)"
  echo -e "\n  Options:"
  i=0
  while [[ ${opt[i]} ]]; do
    long=
    arg=
    [[ ${opt_long[i]} ]] && long=", --${opt_long[i]}"
    [[ ${opt_arg[i]} ]] && arg=" ${opt_arg[i]}"
    echo -e "  -${opt[i]}$long$arg  ${opt_desc[i]}"
    [[ ${opt_arg[i]} ]] && \
      echo -e "    Where '${opt_arg[i]}' is the ${opt_arg_desc[i]}."
    ((++i))
  done
  [[ $root_mode ]] && \
    echo -e "\n  NOTE: You must be the superuser to run this script."
  echo -e "\n_EOF_"
  echo -e "  return\n}"
}

insert_root_check() {

  if [[ $root_mode ]]; then
    echo -e "# Check for root UID"
    echo -e "if [[ \$(id -u) != 0 ]]; then"
    echo -e "  error_exit \"You must be the superuser to run this script.\""
    echo -e "fi"
  fi
}

insert_parser() {

  local i
  
  echo -e "while [[ -n \$1 ]]; do\n  case \$1 in"
  echo -e "    -h | --help)\n      help_message; graceful_exit ;;"
  for (( i = 1; i < ${#opt[@]}; i++ )); do
    echo -ne "    -${opt[i]}"
    [[ -n ${opt_long[i]} ]] && echo -ne " | --${opt_long[i]}"
    echo -ne ")\n      echo \"${opt_desc[i]}\""
    [[ -n ${opt_arg[i]} ]] && echo -ne "; shift; ${opt_arg[i]}=\"\$1\""
    echo " ;;"
  done
  echo -e "    -* | --*)\n      usage"
  echo -e "      error_exit \"Unknown option \$1\" ;;"
  echo -e "    *)\n      echo \"Argument \$1 to process...\" ;;"
  echo -e "  esac\n  shift\ndone"
}

write_script() {

#############################################################################
# START SCRIPT TEMPLATE
#############################################################################
cat << _EOF_
#!$SCRIPT_SHELL
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# $script_name - $script_purpose

# Copyright $YEAR, $AUTHOR $EMAIL_ADDRESS
$(insert_license)

# Usage: $script_name$usage_message

# Revision history:
# $DATE Created by $PROGNAME ver. $VERSION
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGNAME=\${0##*/}
VERSION="0.1"

clean_up() { # Perform pre-exit housekeeping
  return
}

error_exit() {
  echo -e "\${PROGNAME}: \${1:-"Unknown Error"}" >&2
  clean_up
  exit 1
}

graceful_exit() {
  clean_up
  exit
}

signal_exit() { # Handle trapped signals
  case \$1 in
    INT)
      error_exit "Program interrupted by user" ;;
    TERM)
      echo -e "\n\$PROGNAME: Program terminated" >&2
      graceful_exit ;;
    *)
      error_exit "\$PROGNAME: Terminating on unknown signal" ;;
  esac
}

usage() {
  echo -e "Usage: \$PROGNAME$usage_message"
}

$(insert_help_message)

# Trap signals
trap "signal_exit TERM" TERM HUP
trap "signal_exit INT"  INT

$(insert_root_check)

# Parse command-line
$(insert_parser)

# Main logic

graceful_exit

_EOF_
#############################################################################
# END SCRIPT TEMPLATE
#############################################################################

}

check_filename() {

  local filename=$1
  local pathname=${filename%/*} # Equals filename if no path specified

  if [[ $pathname != $filename ]]; then
    if [[ ! -d $pathname ]]; then
      [[ $quiet_mode ]] || echo "Directory $pathname does not exist."
      return 1
    fi
  fi
  if [[ -n $filename ]]; then
    if [[ -e $filename ]]; then
      if [[ -f $filename && -w $filename ]]; then
        [[ $quiet_mode ]] && return 0
        read -p "File $filename exists. Overwrite [y/n] > "
        [[ $REPLY =~ ^[yY]$ ]] || return 1
      else
        return 1
      fi
    fi
  else
    [[ $quiet_mode ]] && return 0 # Empty filename OK in quiet mode
    return 1
  fi
}

read_option() {

  local i=$((option_count + 1))

  echo -e "\nOption $i:"
  read -p "Enter option letter [a-z] (Enter to end) > " 
  [[ -n $REPLY ]] || return 1 # prevent array element if REPLY is empty
  opt[i]=$REPLY
  read -p "Description of option -------------------> " opt_desc[i]
  read -p "Enter long alternate name (optional) ----> " opt_long[i]
  read -p "Enter option argument (if any) ----------> " opt_arg[i]
  [[ -n ${opt_arg[i]} ]] && \
  read -p "Description of argument (if any)---------> " opt_arg_desc[i]
  return 0 # force 0 return status regardless of test outcome above
}

# Trap signals
trap "signal_exit TERM" TERM HUP
trap "signal_exit INT"  INT

# Parse command-line
quiet_mode=
root_mode=
script_license=
while [[ -n $1 ]]; do
  case $1 in
    -h | --help)
      help_message; graceful_exit ;;
    -q | --quiet)
      quiet_mode=yes ;;
    -s | --root)
      root_mode=yes ;;
    -* | --*)
      usage; error_exit "Unknown option $1" ;;
    *)
      tmp_script=$1; break ;;
  esac
  shift
done

# Main logic

if [[ $quiet_mode ]]; then
  script_filename="$tmp_script"
  check_filename "$script_filename" || \
    error_exit "$script_filename is not writable."
  script_purpose="[Enter purpose of script here.]"
else
  # Get script filename
  script_filename=
  while [[ -z $script_filename ]]; do
    if [[ -n $tmp_script ]]; then
      script_filename="$tmp_script"
      tmp_script=
    else
      read -p "Enter script output filename: " script_filename
    fi
    if ! check_filename "$script_filename"; then
      echo "$script_filename is not writable."
      echo -e "Please choose another name.\n"
      script_filename=
    fi
  done

  # Purpose
  read -p "Enter purpose of script: " script_purpose

  # License
  read -p "Include GPL license header [y/n]? > "
  [[ $REPLY =~ ^[yY]$ ]] && script_license="GPL"
  
  # Requires superuser?
  read -p "Does this script require superuser privileges [y/n]? "
  [[ $REPLY =~ ^[yY]$ ]] && root_mode="yes"

  # Command-line options
  option_count=0
  read -p "Does this script support command-line options [y/n]? "
  [[ $REPLY =~ ^[yY]$ ]] \
    && while read_option; do ((++option_count)); done
fi

script_name=${script_filename##*/} # Strip path from filename
script_name=${script_name:-"[Untitled Script]"} # Set default if enmpty

# "help" option included by default
opt[0]="h"
opt_long[0]="help"
opt_desc[0]="Display this help message and exit."

# Create usage message
usage_message=  
i=0
while [[ ${opt[i]} ]]; do
  arg="]"
  [[ ${opt_arg[i]} ]] && arg=" ${opt_arg[i]}]"
  usage_message="$usage_message [-${opt[i]}"
  [[ ${opt_long[i]} ]] \
    && usage_message="$usage_message|--${opt_long[i]}"
  usage_message="$usage_message$arg"
  ((++i))
done

# Generate script
if [[ $script_filename ]]; then # Write script to file
  write_script > "$script_filename"
  chmod +x "$script_filename"
else
  write_script # Write script to stdout
fi
graceful_exit