i wrote a while script as part of a huge program. this script, once picked, begins to output data to the person using it. pretty easy, as the person doesn't have to keep typing commands to get the output that the while loop automatically throws out.

now, the thing is, while this while-script is outputing data the only way for the client to exit out of the script is to Control-C out of it. and when they do, that Control-C not only kicks em out the while-script, it also kicks em out of the program that the while-script is in there by causing the client to have to restart the program?

is there anything i can add to this while-script that will give the user the option to exit out of it without havint to control-c?

You can trap the interrupt signal

trap 'somefunction' INT

Quick example:

trap 'break' INT

while :
do
  print $SECONDS
  sleep 2
done

print end

i tried this but it didn't seem to work. problem is i have more than one while loop in this script. all i'm trying to do is that when a user enters control-c and then hits x, then the user should be directed to the main menu of the program. instead, they get exited out of the script.

i dont know if theres a way for a user to, while the while-script is running, be able to enter any letter and have that letter server as a signal for while to stop looping