read in install script

Dragavnir · 2016-03-11 21:18:03

Hi,

During an install script for a package I'm working on, I need the user to input some data and retrieve it with the read utility. As I need the user to input something else than just <CR>, i put it in a while loop:

while [ -z $COZY_DOMAIN ]; do
    echo "Domain name of your Cozy [cozy.example.tld]: "
    read COZY_DOMAIN
done

It worked fine until recently. Now I have an infinite loop asking a domain name (needless to say I don't have the time to input anything). In the same time, the code shown above works perfectly when running as a normal shell script.
I wondered if it wouldn't come from the read instruction, supposed to pause the script, waiting for user input. Here's what I get when running this code:

echo "Say something: "
read something

as the only instructions in my pre_install function, and here's the output:

Say something: 
error: command failed to execute correctly

I'm not the only one experiencing this issue. I've already witnessed it on Docker containers (running an Archlinux image), on a test VPS, and I've received issues on the package's GitHub repo describing the same thing.

I know that install scripts are run within a special environment, but can anyone explain to me how it can affect the read utility this way?

WorMzy · 2016-03-11 21:30:48

Why on earth would you make an installation scriptlet interactive in the first place?

Print the instructions that the user needs to follow to get the package working if you really must, but don't try to be clever and automagically set up the program for the user. Pacman is a package manager, not a configuration manager.

Trilby · 2016-03-11 21:34:37

I just looked at the full install script. You also should should not do all that downloading and installing in the post_install script. That all needs to be moved to the PKGBUILD.

Allan · 2016-03-11 21:52:35

pacman closes stdin so install scripts can not be interactive.

Dragavnir · 2016-03-11 21:59:14

Allan wrote:

pacman closes stdin so install scripts can not be interactive.

Oh, I see.

TBH, it's an install script I've quickly written a few months ago (when I was far less familiar with Arch's philosophy regarding packages) mimicking the install functions of Cozy's Debian package. I'm more and more thinking about reorganizing it all, to be more accurate to Arch's pilosophy, as you guys advised.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-03-11 21:18:03

read in install script

#2 2016-03-11 21:30:48

Re: read in install script

#3 2016-03-11 21:34:37

Re: read in install script

#4 2016-03-11 21:52:35

Re: read in install script

#5 2016-03-11 21:59:14

Re: read in install script

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