password with no echo

Q:
I am accepting the password from the user using 'read' command.

How can I make the password not to appear on the screen when the user is typing.

A:
# save the old terminal settings
oldmodes=`stty -g`
# disable terminal 'echo' - blind typing
stty -echo
# read user input/password
read password
# restore 'old' terminal settings
stty $oldmodes



NOTE:
Yet Another Useful Tip [YAUT] by olded [Ed]:

# readkey: This function saves the current terminal settings and
# sets the terminal to raw mode with the unix stty command. Retrieve
# 1 character with the dd command and reset original terminal settings
# with stty before returning the character to calling script.
function readkey {
local anykey oldstty

oldstty=`stty -g`
stty -icanon -echo min 1 time 0
anykey=`dd bs=1 count=1 <&0 2>/dev/null`
stty $oldstty
echo $anykey
} # end read_key

Feel free to edit as you see fit.

Regards,

Ed