Replying to prompts within a script

[MikeL_4]

I want to run a command within a script, but the command requires a reply:

# gfs_tool reclaim /gfs/saweb
Don't do this if this file system is being exported by NFS (on any machine).

Are you sure you want to proceed? [y/n] n
gfs_tool: aborted
#

Is there a way to code this command in a script to supply it with a "y" to continue on ???

[Matti_Kurkela · Accepted solution]

It is possible to write a program in such a way that it defeats simple I/O redirection (example: the "passwd" command), but I'd try this first:

echo y | gfs_tool reclaim /gfs/saweb

MK

[MikeL_4]

Matti

Thanks, I wasn't even thinking of something so simple would work...

[Don Mallory]

Sometimes that won't work.

If you have a lot of yeses, you could use "yes"...

yes | gfs_tool reclaim /gfs/saweb

Or, you can also do something like this:

gfs_tool reclaim /gfs/saweb << EOL
y
EOL

This will enter all of the replies in order. Works really well for configuring something larger too, like EMS. The example below would get you monitors for snmp, email and log outputs:

/etc/opt/resmon/lbin/monconfig << EOL
a
a
1
4
4
/var/opt/resmon/log/event.log
c
c
y
a
a
3
4
5
c
c
y
a
a
2
4
6
admins@mydomain.ca
c
c
y
a
a
3
5
3
c
c
y
a
a
4
5
3
c
c
y
a
a
5
5
3
c
c
y
e
q
EOL