---
syntax: markdown
tags: [tldr, linux]
source: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr.git
---
# whiptail

> Display text-based dialog boxes from shell scripts.
> More information: <https://manned.org/whiptail>.

- Display a simple message:

`whiptail --title "{{title}}" --msgbox "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}}`

- Display a boolean choice, returning the result through the exit code:

`whiptail --title "{{title}}" --yesno "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}}`

- Customise the text on the yes/no buttons:

`whiptail --title "{{title}}" --yes-button "{{text}}" --no-button "{{text}}" --yesno "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}}`

- Display a text input box:

`{{result_variable_name}}="$(whiptail --title "{{title}}" --inputbox "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}} {{default_text}} 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)"`

- Display a password input box:

`{{result_variable_name}}="$(whiptail --title "{{title}}" --passwordbox "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}} 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)"`

- Display a multiple-choice menu:

`{{result_variable_name}}=$(whiptail --title "{{title}}" --menu "{{message}}" {{height_in_chars}} {{width_in_chars}} {{menu_display_height}} "{{value_1}}" "{{display_text_1}}" "{{value_n}}" "{{display_text_n}}" ..... 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)`
