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Operating Systems OS X (Apple) A simple reminder script for beginners to shell scripting. Post 302890193 by wisecracker on Tuesday 25th of February 2014 04:00:06 PM
Old 02-25-2014
A simple reminder script for beginners to shell scripting.

(Apologies for any typos.)

Well hands up those who have been in the following situation(s):-
Your partner, (in my case the missus), sees that you are messing
with your machine and says something like, "can you keep an eye
on the dinner, I am going out shopping", and you look up glazed
eyed and say, "yes dear".
Sadly you forget and the dinner is burnt...
WW III is about to start... ;oD

Own up now, c'mon hands up!
Ah yes, nearly everyone. Those with their hands down cannot be
trusted... ;oD

The wife did just that to me and that gave me an idea, the
script below...

It is a piece of code that beginners could understand as a
practical and useful starting point to learn simple shell scripting.
It is called 'reminder' and generates a seriously annoying pop-up
every 30 to 300 seconds, programmable, with a reminder text of
your choice.
As a learning tool this script contains a lot of simple shell
stuff.
Arguments, variables, conditions, for loop, while loop, launching
another script, creating the script to launch, ANSI escape codes
to name but a few...

Written on OSX 10.7.5 default shell, tested on CygWin.
I am assuming it works on Linux flavours so just change the
script yourselves and notify this thread of your modifications;
IF there are any...

If you want this to work on CygWin then read the 'while true'
section and edit as required.

This is just superb for remembering your anniversary, the wife's
birthday, etc, etc, as it is SOOOO annoying...

This version is Public Domain and will not be uploaded anywhere
else.

The much simpler original is on 'code.activestate.com' also PD.

Enjoy finding simple solutions to often very difficult problems...

LBNL, for beginners, try and add a 1 second beeping sound for the
various *NIX flavours...
Code:
#!/bin/sh
# reminder
# Usage: /full/path/to/reminder "Your text here with spaces inside double quotes." Secs<CR>...
# Written on OSX 10.7.5 default shell, also tested on a CygWin bash shell...
# This version issued as Public Domain to https://www.unix.com/ ...

# On program entry place the first program argument "$1" into a variable called "text".
text=$1
# Now place "$2" into a variable called "countdown".
countdown=$2

# Clear the terminal window using terminal ANSI escape sequences...
printf "\033[2J\033[H"

# Now take "$1" OR "$2" and compare them as a _string_ literal to a NULL _string_, then if true......
if [ "$1" == "" ] || [ "$2" == "" ]
then
	# ......ensure that the default timer countdown value at least exists......
	countdown=30
	# ......ensure that a valid _string_ literal exists and......
	text="You have started reminder, what have you forgotten?"
	# ......print a usage message to the terminal window.
	echo ""
	printf "\033[1;31m"'Usage: /full/path/to/reminder "Your text here inside double quotes." Secs<CR>'"\033[0m\n"
fi

# Ensure a valid working numerical value for the timer countdown...
str_len=`printf "${#countdown}"`
str_len=$[ ( $str_len - 1 ) ]
for n in $( seq 0 1 $str_len )
do
	number=`printf "${countdown:$n:1}"`
	number=`printf "%d" \'$number`
	# If any characters other than contiguous numbers exist then set the default countdown value.
	if [ $number -le 47 ] || [ $number -ge 58 ]
	then
		countdown=30
		break
	fi
done

# Now ensure it is within given the limits, 30 to 300...
if [ $countdown -le 29 ] || [ $countdown -ge 301 ]
then
	countdown=30
fi

# Print the __arguments__ in parent window...
echo ""
echo "$text..."
echo "Timer=$countdown seconds..."
echo ""
echo "Press Ctrl-C in this window to stop..."
echo ""

# Now create a zero length file, (in this case), into /tmp/reminder.sh.
> /tmp/reminder.sh
# Ensure that once created it is able to be executed.
chmod 755 /tmp/reminder.sh

# Now create the relevant file to run externally.
# A shebang line is the first one to be APPENDED to the zero length file.
echo "#!/bin/sh" >> /tmp/reminder.sh
# Using "printf" to print the "text" and ANSI escape, "\", codes to set the "text" to bold, 12 lines
# down and 3 spaces in. Reset the "text" back to normal and then APPEND again to /tmp/reminder.sh.
# The "\n" are just newlines to remove the cursor away from your string when printed.
echo "printf '\033[1m\033[12;3f$text\033[0m\n\n\n'" >> /tmp/reminder.sh
# Add a delay to this code and APPEND again to /tmp/reminder.sh.
echo "sleep 3" >> /tmp/reminder.sh
# Ensure that after the delay this new script exits with a return code of 0 and APPEND to /tmp/reminder.sh.
echo "exit 0" >> /tmp/reminder.sh
# The new script is now ready to be called.

# Now loop this new script indefinitely until "Ctrl-C" is pressed in the parent terminal window to stop.
while true
do
	# Display your reminder for about 3 seconds...
	# The "&" means that the new script _divorces_ itself from the parent...
	# Comment out the line below when used with CygWin...
	xterm -e /tmp/reminder.sh &
	# Uncomment out the line below when used with CygWin..."
	# mintty /tmp/reminder.sh &
	# Use Ctrl-C to stop during this "countdown" break after xterm has closed down...
	sleep $countdown
done
# Program end...

 

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