Shell Programming and Scripting

Hi

I'm currently rewriting a project from install-required to a pure runtime form.
The former had required the project name and the definition of the command as name, as they all become functions now, this could be shorter.

As you might have figured, the project already exists in another form - the first iteration I had done.
With the new change to make it pure runtime - it was not slow before, but - it will be alot faster.
And as before, cross-platform, arch independant, working at runlevel 1 or higher.

Simplified use of select, yesno (read), themes, or starting of relevant GUI or CLI commands (editor, webbrowser) where available/required.
No worries wether curl or wget is installed by the use of 'download', and lots, lots more!

Question (Poll):
When you write a script, what would you prefer to be a command?
* a 6 -7 letter 'word'
* a 2 letter 'word' of which 1 is capital?

Be aware, this would replace your current 'echo' or 'printf' commands that are supposed to be seen by the end user.
(I trust your intellect to extrapolate the approriate values at the poll)

This only refers to the 2-4 absolute core display functions.
In a simplified prespective, I use:
* echo : for final outputs - starting on a new line afterwards
* printf : for ongoing changes
* I'd like to have a 'header' for a project
* and a 'title' for different section or topics

Mostly because I do not want to 'reuse' echo, allthough SWARM is a Shell Wrapper...
Or should I?
It would be easier, but could you differ print and echo for end user output vs. $PRINTF and $ECHO for internal use (though, the latter is required anyway)?
This is something I cant decide 'for myself' when I want others to 'get along' with it. (the game of numbers)


Summarization:
A 2 letter 'word' would require only 3 keystrokes, while a 6-7 letter 'word' would not require shift.


Addon question (Comment):
Would you prefer the commands 'title' and 'header' to have as such, or be adapted to the result of the poll?

See screenshot - This is how SWARM can look like (note: select is now handled too and root has a different theme):
'Topline' = header
'2nd' line = title
'3rd' line + = 'echo' or 'printf' replacements

I voted for the 6/7 letter word option for a couple of reasons. I feel the command(s) would be more self-documenting with longer names. Google, searches, etc for command will avoid false positives for the existing variant of command without capital letters.

Hi sea...

As with Chubler_XL the more verbose the command the better.
The rest is your personal choice except perhaps that echo should be kept in its POSIX simplest form to make it as portable as possible.

Sorry for the long 'break'.
Windows had decided to to format my uefi boot - and I dont check for input if I cant work on it. (priorities / 'free' mind)

This said, I've decided to come up with something in the like of:
Now this is all just the 'core display' functions.
But, it's getting more difficult for actual (kind of 'visual') wrapper's such as (but not limited to) dd or select (NOT seen in the screenshots).

And while you read this, please be aware, FOR ALL DEFAULT GNU COREUTILS, swarm checks the system and puts each of them as capital variables for easy access, as in: $ECHO, $DD, $LS, $MKDIR and so forth.

However, doing so still keeps me from 'saving' builtin bash functions such as previously mentioned: select.

By default, one uses select like:

Code:

select value in list of words
do
    break
done

In comparision, the wrapped select usage would look like:
tbh, I'd have less an issue with just throwing an echo wrapper with the same name at you guys, rather than just re-using the word select and use for my own function.
Then again, one still can use the builtin function by using \select if needed (same with echo and printf, as those $ECHO and $PRINTF variables are just that).

This explained, one would be 'forced' to use $AWK instead of g/awk (there it begins, but doesnt stop), same for sed, grep and all other 'default' commands in one's scripts.
As this is required to have cross-platform compatiblity with system such as - but not limited to - Solaris and some BSD variants...

Note, I was thinking of adding an 'option' in the config file, to 'enable' a 'builtin overwrite', which would rename (load functions named: echo, printf, select) as a true wrapper. (read: just a function that refers to the other function).
One could still use default commands by using \echo or $ECHO -> but it would help to 'instantly see' a change with one's script - without the need to rewrite (much).
Mind you, this would be optional.

Geez, became much more text than intended, so to make my questions short:
* What do you think of the suggested names? (specialy header/title !?)
* What is your thought on 'select' and 'dd', maybe name suggestions please? -> do you think swarm_XXX would suffice?

Thank you for your feedback and thoughts.
Greetings

PS @wisecracker:
In it's TUI form, SWARM could do all Pipes and whistles one expects from GNU/Linux and POSIX usages (that I'm aware of).
I intend to keep it that way.