#!/bin/bash
# resistor-inventory.sh
# Simple database application using indirect variable referencing.
# ============================================================== #
# Data
B1723_value=470 # Ohms
B1723_powerdissip=.25 # Watts
B1723_colorcode="yellow-violet-brown" # Color bands
B1723_loc=173 # Where they are
B1723_inventory=78 # How many
B1724_value=1000
B1724_powerdissip=.25
B1724_colorcode="brown-black-red"
B1724_loc=24N
B1724_inventory=243
B1725_value=10000
B1725_powerdissip=.25
B1725_colorcode="brown-black-orange"
B1725_loc=24N
B1725_inventory=89
# ============================================================== #
echo
PS3='Enter catalog number: '
echo
select catalog_number in "B1723" "B1724" "B1725"
do
Inv=${catalog_number}_inventory
Val=${catalog_number}_value
Pdissip=${catalog_number}_powerdissip
Loc=${catalog_number}_loc
Ccode=${catalog_number}_colorcode
echo
echo "Catalog number $catalog_number:"
echo "There are ${!Inv} of [${!Val} ohm / ${!Pdissip} watt] resistors in stock."
echo "These are located in bin # ${!Loc}."
echo "Their color code is \"${!Ccode}\"."
break
done
echo; echo
# Exercises:
# ---------
# 1) Rewrite this script to read its data from an external file.
# 2) Rewrite this script to use arrays,
#+ rather than indirect variable referencing.
# Which method is more straightforward and intuitive?
# Notes:
# -----
# Shell scripts are inappropriate for anything except the most simple
#+ database applications, and even then it involves workarounds and kludges.
# Much better is to use a language with native support for data structures,
#+ such as C++ or Java (or even Perl).
exit 0
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