This document describes a menu.py script that allows the user to navigate and run various scripts from a menu interface. The menu.py script reads a comma-delimited file containing the script names, paths, and descriptions to dynamically generate the menu. The user can then select a script to run or navigate between pages of the menu. It provides a simple way to access scripts without having to remember their specific paths and commands.

1. Menu.py a script of scripts.
I am constantly forgetting the exact paths and command structure for the various scripts I have written,
and I have some standard ways I run them. So, I created a script of scripts that I use to access them.
The program menu.py reads a comma delimited file and creates a menu that can then be navigated with
relative ease. For now I have kept it fairly simple.
I log in and type menu
This is a shell script that calls my menu.py script and is stored in my path so I can execute it from
anywhere.

2. The script truncates the name and description to keep things clean.
If I choose 6 to generate a 12 character password:

3. When I hit enter the screen clears and I am taken back to the menu.
Entering “n” at the main menu takes me to the next menu.
But entering “n” on this menu gives me an error.

4. Pressing enter again clears the screen and takes me back to the menu I was on.
Entering “p” takes me back one page.

5. And entering “q” at any menu takes me out of the program.
The shell script looks like this:
james@coenj-suse1:~> cat bin/menu
#!/usr/bin/sh
cd Python/etc
python menu.py
Note the script first cd's to the location I have stored menu.py. This is because the menu.dat file that
stores my script information is stored in the same directory as the menu.py script itself.
james@coenj-suse1:~/Python/etc> ls menu*
menu.dat menu.py
Here is a look at the menu.dat file:
Note the file is comma delimited and each text field is enclosed in double quotation marks. The first
field is the name you want displayed on the menu. The second is the command and path to execute the
script (in this case python <full path and arguments for script>). It should work just as well with shell
scripts by using sh in place of python. The last field is a short description (remember the menu.py
script will truncate the name and description).
The following is the source code for the menu.py script.
#!/usr/bin/python
#---------------------------------------------------------------#
# menu.py #
# Created 2009.10.27 #
# By James D. Coen Sr #

6. # This program reads a file that contains a list of programs #
# and then creates a menu based upon that list. The user can #
# then select a program to execute. #
# The layout of the file is as follows: #
# <"program name">,<"full execution path">,<"description"> #
#---------------------------------------------------------------#
import sys, os, csv
# Menu data file relative to script is menu.dat
myMenu = {} # create our menu
# index is count: program name, path, description
menuFile = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.curdir) + os.sep + 'menu.dat')
def truncString(inStr, max=20):
# max size defaults to 20 characters
i=0
outStr = ''
for let in inStr:
if i < max:
outStr = outStr + let
else:
break
i=i+1
return outStr
def genMenu():
# limit to 10 programs per page
pglim = 10
retVal = 0
page = 1
pages = 1
max = 0
fp = open(menuFile, 'rb')
csvFile = csv.reader(fp, delimiter=',', quotechar='"')
for line in csvFile:
max = max + 1
myMenu[max] = [line[0], line[1], line[2]]
pages = pages + (max / pglim)
while page in range(1, pages+1):
count = 0
print '------------------------------------------------------------'
print ' My Python Scripts Menu '
print ' Page {0:2d} of {1:2d} '.format(page,pages)
for id, vals in myMenu.items():
if (id / pglim + 1) == page:
prog = truncString(vals[0], 20)
dscr = truncString(vals[2], 30)
print ' {0:2d}) {1:20s} {2:25s}'.format(id, prog, dscr)

7. count = count + 1
print
if pages == 1:
print 'Choose the number corresponding to your choice'
elif pages > 1 and pages == page:
print 'Choose the number corresponding to your choice or '
print 'p/P for previous to change pages'
elif pages > 1 and pages != page and page > 1:
print 'Choose the number corresponding to your choice or '
print 'p/P for previous n/N for next to change pages'
else:
print 'Choose the number corresponding to your choice or '
print 'n/N for next to change pages'
print ' or enter q/Q to quit'
print '------------------------------------------------------------'
choice = raw_input(' Enter your choice: ')
if choice.lower() == 'n' and pages > 1 and page != pages:
# next page
print ''
page = page + 1
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
retVal = 0
elif choice.lower() == 'p' and pages > 1 and page != 1:
# previous page
print ''
page = page - 1
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
retVal = 0
elif choice.lower() == 'q':
# chose to quit
print 'Exiting...'
retVal = -1
break
else:
try:
choice = int(choice)
if choice not in range(1, count+1):
print 'Invalid selection...'
retVal = 0
jnk = raw_input('Press enter to continue.')
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
else:
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
print 'Executing %s ...'%(myMenu[choice][1])
print
err = os.system(myMenu[choice][1])
if err != 0:
print 'Return Value: ' + str(err)
print

8. retVal = 0
jnk = raw_input('Press enter to continue.')
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
except:
print 'Invalid selection...'
retVal = 0
jnk = raw_input('Press enter to continue.')
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
return retVal
menuOpt = 0
while menuOpt == 0:
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
menuOpt = genMenu()
sys.stdout.write(os.popen('clear').read()) # clear screen
Hopefully you will find this little menu program useful.