bash - select: accept an unlisted, char input -

i'm using bash select make multiple choice dialog in option numbers adjust automatically when add new selection between 2 existing ones.

select choice in command1 command2 command3;     $choice     break done 

to display different command executed in itself, i've been told declare associative array

declare -a choices=(     [option 1]=command1     [option 2]=command2     [option 3]=command3 ) select choice in "${!choices[@]}" exit ;     [[ $choice == exit ]] && break     ${choices[$choice]} done 

the thing don't way, option exit viewed numbered selection. i'd want achieve like

ps3="select desired option (q quit): " 

and make select accept q, besides 1, 2 or 3, valid input.

the associative array causes problems fact input used index, switched nested case. way, not have declare separate functions store more 1 command

ps3="select desired option (q quit): " select choice in "option 1" "option 2" "option 3";     case $choice in         "option 1") command1a                     command1b                     break;;         "option 2") command2a                     command2b                     break;;         "option 3") command3a                     command3b                     break;;         q)          echo "bye!"                     break;;     esac done 

now there no problems regarding non-numerical (or over-range) input, q input still not recognized. falls in the default case, executing *) if have defined it, or prompting again if didn't.

is there way achieve i'm trying do?

just use (check content of) $reply variable.

example:

declare -a choices=(     [show date]=show_date     [print calendar]=print_cal     [say hello]=say_hello )  show_date() {     date } print_cal() {     cal } say_hello() {     echo "hello $user" }  ps3="select desired option (q quit): " select choice in "${!choices[@]}"     case "$choice" in     '') # handling invalid entry - e.g. "q"         # in case of invalid entry, $choice en empty(!) string         # checking content of entered line can done using $reply         case "$reply" in             q|q) echo "bye, bye - quitting...."; exit;;             *) echo "invalid choice <$reply> - try again";;         esac         ;;     *)         #valid user input         ${choices[$choice]}         ;;     esac done 

or shorter, not flexible

declare -a choices=(     [show date]=show_date     [print calendar]=print_cal     [say hello]=say_hello )  show_date() {     date } print_cal() {     cal } say_hello() {     echo "hello $user" }  ps3="select desired option (q quit): " select choice in "${!choices[@]}"     case "$reply" in     q|q) echo "bye, bye - quitting...."; exit;;     1|2|3) ${choices[$choice]} ;;     *) echo "invalid choice <$reply> - try again";;     esac done