Shell Script to Toggle Between Two Commands

Question

I need help creating a shell script to toggle between two commands. When it is run command1 is executed then if it is run again it executes command2 and so on...

Eliah Kagan · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-29T14:42:12.770

18

One good way of accomplishing this is for the script to create a blank "configuration file":

The 1st time the script runs, it sees the file doesn't exist, creates it, and runs command1.
The 2nd time the script runs, it sees the file does exist, deletes it, and runs command2.
The 3rd time the script runs, it sees the file doesn't exist, creates it, and runs command1.
The 4th time the script runs, it sees the file does exist, deletes it, and runs command2.

And so forth.

Here's a script that does that:

#!/bin/sh
# This shell script is PUBLIC DOMAIN. You may do whatever you want with it.

TOGGLE=$HOME/.toggle

if [ ! -e $TOGGLE ]; then
    touch $TOGGLE
    command1
else
    rm $TOGGLE
    command2
fi

edited Jun 29 '12 at 14:42

answered Jun 06 '12 at 04:03

Eliah Kagan

117,780

A slight improvement would be a semaphore file (touch .xxx) for 'last command', with a known first choice. – david6 Jun 06 '12 at 08:10
1

@david6 You may want to post your own answer. It's not clear to me why that would be better, or how you intend to implement it. – Eliah Kagan Aug 13 '12 at 21:00

cipricus · Answer 2 · 2021-02-23T11:13:29.660

(As a complement to the main answer)

To make it display a message after running the commands, and also showing an icon - example for toggling touchpad off and on (source, also here):

#!/bin/sh
# This shell script is PUBLIC DOMAIN. You may do whatever you want with it.
TOGGLE=$HOME/.toggle_touchpad
if [ ! -e $TOGGLE ]; then
    touch $TOGGLE
    xinput disable 14
    notify-send -u low -i mouse --icon=/usr/share/icons/HighContrast/256x256/status/touchpad-disabled.png "Trackpad disabled"
else
    rm $TOGGLE
    xinput enable 14
    notify-send -u low -i mouse --icon=/usr/share/icons/HighContrast/256x256/devices/input-touchpad.png "Trackpad enabled"
fi

(in the above commands 14 is a variable to be identified with xinput list)

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 06 '12 at 07:33

0

You can write a file with your last command. Then when it is run again you read the file, and see which command was executed.

edited Jun 06 '12 at 07:33

Eliah Kagan

117,780

answered Jun 06 '12 at 04:02

Eduardo Leiva

11

Shell Script to Toggle Between Two Commands

3 Answers3

(As a complement to the main answer)

Linked