Anyone know what this is ? getopts....

[maxcrook]

Please can someone explain what the following part of a script is doing please.

Nb: BILL_DATE is defined by user input via an application

BILL_DATE=""

# check parameters
while getopts ":m:c:t:w:r:a:" opt
do
case "$opt" in
p) ;;
m) ;;
c) ;;
t) ;;
w) ;;
r) ;;
a) BILL_DATE=$OPTARG;;
\?) echo "\nERROR: Invalid parameter passed"
exit 1;;
esac
done

 

[KenCunningham]

Max,

there's a pretty good manpage on getopts.

I'd post it here, but it's fairly long.

Hope this helps.

 

[maxcrook]

Thanks Ken I can work out the basics to it but cant understand how it has been worked in this particular context.

 

[ElgisRamon]

Simple.

Your script is checking at its options. [tt]getopts[/tt] is handling errors and storing them (the first colon), Uses one character options (pmctwra) , and each can receive parameters. Just that.
I hope it works...
Unix was made by and for smart people.