Creating UI Controls under Linux Shell Console using whiptail Utility

Under Linux Shell Console, you can create UI dialogs based only on Text Characters. The whiptail allows to create common UI components under Console.

shell-whiptail-1

The UI are advantageous in the interactive setup process/scripts.

MessageBox

whiptail --title "message box title" --msgbox "text to show" height width

Example:

#!/bin/bash
whiptail --title "Test Message Box" --msgbox "Create a message box with whiptail. Choose Ok to continue

shell-whiptail-messagebox

Yes/No Dialog

whiptail --title "dialog box title" --yesno "text to show" height width

Exampe:

#!/bin/bash
if (whiptail --title "Test Yes/No Box" --yesno "Choose between Yes and No." 10 60) then
    echo "You chose Yes. Exit status was $?."
else
    echo "You chose No. Exit status was $?."
fi

shell-whiptail-yes-no

Customized buttons:

#!/bin/bash
if (whiptail --title "Test Yes/No Box" --yes-button "Skittles" --no-button "M&M's"  --yesno "Which do you like better?" 10 60) then
    echo "You chose Skittles Exit status was $?."
else
    echo "You chose M&M's. Exit status was $?."
fi

shell-whiptail-yes-no-2

InputBox

whiptail --title "input box title" --inputbox "text to show" height width default-text

Example:

#!/bin/bash
PET=$(whiptail --title "Test Free-form Input Box" --inputbox "What is your pet's name?" 10 60 Wigglebutt 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
exitstatus=$?
if [ $exitstatus = 0 ]; then
    echo "Your pet name is:" $PET
else
    echo "You chose Cancel."
fi

shell-whiptail-inputbox

Radio Box

whiptail --title "radiolist title" --radiolist "text to show" height width list height [ tag item status ] . . .

Example:

#!/bin/bash
DISTROS=$(whiptail --title "Test Checklist Dialog" --radiolist \
"What is the Linux distro of your choice?" 15 60 4 \
"debian" "Venerable Debian" ON \
"ubuntu" "Popular Ubuntu" OFF \
"centos" "Stable CentOS" OFF \
"mint" "Rising Star Mint" OFF 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
exitstatus=$?
if [ $exitstatus = 0 ]; then
    echo "The chosen distro is:" $DISTROS
else
    echo "You chose Cancel."
fi

shell-whiptail-radio-selection

Progress Bar

whiptail --gauge "test to show" height width inital percent

Example:

#!/bin/bash
{
    for ((i = 0 ; i <= 100 ; <+=10)); do
        sleep 1
        echo $i
    done
} | whiptail --gauge "Please wait while installing" 6 60 0

shell-whiptail-progress

Password

Password fields do not show characters (but showing as *) as user input.

whiptail --title "password box title" --passwordbox "text to show" height width

Example:

#!/bin/bash
PASSWORD=$(whiptail --title "Test Password Box" --passwordbox "Enter your password and choose Ok to continue." 10 60 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
exitstatus=$?
if [ $exitstatus = 0 ]; then
    echo "Your password is:" $PASSWORD
else
    echo "You chose Cancel."
fi

shell-whiptail-password

Menu Items

whiptail --title "menu title" --menu "text to show" height width menu height [ tag item ] . . .

Example:

#!/bin/bash
OPTION=$(whiptail --title "Test Menu Dialog" --menu "Choose your option" 15 60 4 \
"1" "Grilled Spicy Sausage" \
"2" "Grilled Halloumi Cheese" \
"3" "Charcoaled Chicken Wings" \
"4" "Fried Aubergine"  3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
exitstatus=$?
if [ $exitstatus = 0 ]; then
    echo "Your chosen option:" $OPTION
else
    echo "You chose Cancel."
fi

shell-whiptail-menu

Checklist

whiptail --title "checklist title" --checklist "text to show" height width list-height [ tag item status ] . . .

Example:

#!/bin/bash
DISTROS=$(whiptail --title "Test Checklist Dialog" --checklist \
"Choose preferred Linux distros" 15 60 4 \
"debian" "Venerable Debian" ON \
"ubuntu" "Popular Ubuntu" OFF \
"centos" "Stable CentOS" ON \
"mint" "Rising Star Mint" OFF 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
exitstatus=$?
if [ $exitstatus = 0 ]; then
    echo "Your favorite distros are:" $DISTROS
else
    echo "You chose Cancel."
fi

shell-whiptail-checklist

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