MySQL password input in bash script

Question

I have a bash script that needs to perform a couple actions in MySQL. So far I have something like this:

#!/bin/sh
read -p "Enter your MySQL username: " $sqluname
read -sp "Enter your MySQL password (ENTER for none): " $sqlpasswd
/usr/bin/mysql -u $sqluname -p $sqlpasswd << eof
*some SQL stuff*
eof

This works well until it's used with a MySQL username that has a blank password. The user hits ENTER at my password prompt, but then they receive another prompt to "Enter your password" again from MySQL.

How can I avoid this second password prompt and make the script deal with both blank and non-blank passwords?

Does it work if you replace $sqlpassword with "$sqlpassword"? — sarnold
– sarnold, Commented May 9, 2012 at 2:20

Ansari · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-09 16:22:24Z

3

Check if the password is blank or not, and if it is, then omit the -p switch altogether.

read -p "Enter your MySQL username: " $sqluname
read -sp "Enter your MySQL password (ENTER for none): " $sqlpasswd
if [ -n "$sqlpasswd" ]; then
  /usr/bin/mysql -u $sqluname -p $sqlpasswd << eof
else
  /usr/bin/mysql -u $sqluname << eof
fi

Later edit to avoid a whole if-then-else block:

command="/usr/bin/mysql -u $sqluname"
[ -n "$sqlpasswd" ] && command="$command -p$sqlpasswd"
eval $command

edited May 9, 2012 at 16:22

answered May 9, 2012 at 3:43

Ansari

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3 Comments

Shaun Over a year ago

That will work. I was kinda hoping there was a tidier way than an if/then/else block, but this works fine anyway.

Ansari Over a year ago

Hmm you could try this instead of the whole block if you want something shorthand: [ -n "$sqlpasswd" ] && command = "$command -p$sqlpasswd"

sarnold Over a year ago

+1 for the first variant; the second version feels like it is more trouble than it is worth.

Lynn Crumbling · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-09 02:21:21Z

2

You'd need to specify the -n switch if $sqlpasswd is empty (instead of -p $sqlpasswd).

answered May 9, 2012 at 2:21

Lynn Crumbling

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