The form dialog for input

Example

• Create a shell script called useradd1.sh:

#!/bin/bash
# useradd1.sh - A simple shell script to display the form dialog on screen
# set field names i.e. shell variables
shell=""
groups=""
user=""
home=""
 
# open fd
exec 3>&1
 
# Store data to $VALUES variable
VALUES=$(dialog --ok-label "Submit" \
   --backtitle "Linux User Managment" \
   --title "Useradd" \
   --form "Create a new user" \
15 50 0 \
 "Username:" 1 1 "$user"  1 10 10 0 \
 "Shell:"    2 1 "$shell"   2 10 15 0 \
 "Group:"    3 1 "$groups"   3 10 8 0 \
 "HOME:"     4 1 "$home"  4 10 40 0 \
2>&1 1>&3)
 
# close fd
exec 3>&-
 
# display values just entered
echo "$VALUES"

Save and close the file. Run it as follows:

chmod +x useradd1.sh
./useradd1.sh

Sample outputs:

• useradd1.sh: shell script output (the dialog command with data entry form)
• 

  The form dialog box in action
  
• 

  Displaying output stored in $VALUES