Trying to update clock in Bash script menu

Question

I'm writing a quick launch style Bash program and I would like it to display the date at the top, but I can't seem to figure out how to keep it updated.  The bash 'read' command seems to cause the program to pause and wait, so the date doesn't get updated.  If you can help me figure this out it would be very much appreciated, thanks!
#!/bin/bash
# Xplorer - A launcher to various programs, similar to favorites
# Author - Mega-G33k
RUNNING=1
while [ $RUNNING -eq 1 ]; do
clear
echo "Date: $(date)"
echo "Welcome to \"Xplorer\""
echo ""
echo "1 - Midnight Commander"
echo "2 - Links"
echo "3 - Mutt"
echo "4 - Newsbeuter"
echo "5 - Podbeuter"
echo "6 - NCMPC"
echo "7 - Irssi"
echo "8 - CenterIM"
echo "9 - Start X"
echo "10 - Mount first DVD drive (sr0)"
echo "11 - Unmount first DVD drive (sr0)"
echo "0 - Exit"
echo ""
echo -n "Please enter an option[0-11] "
read boole
if [ $boole -eq 1 ]; then
mc
elif [ $boole -eq 2 ]; then
links
elif [ $boole -eq 3 ]; then
mutt
elif [ $boole -eq 4 ]; then
newsbeuter
elif [ $boole -eq 5 ]; then
podbeuter
elif [ $boole -eq 6 ]; then
ncmpc
elif [ $boole -eq 7 ]; then
irssi
elif [ $boole -eq 8 ]; then
centerim
elif [ $boole -eq 9 ]; then
if ps -A | grep X &> /dev/null; then
echo "X has already been started"
read -n 1 -s
else
startx
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 10 ]; then
if [ "$UID" != "0" ]; then
gksudo mount /dev/sr0 ~/drives/sr0
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 11 ]; then
if [ "$UID" != "0" ]; then
gksudo umount ~/drives/sr0
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 0 ]; then
exit 0
else
echo "Invalid option entered"
read -n 1 -s
fi
done

Answer 1

Procyon wrote:You need cursor save, jump and restore: echo -ne "\e7\e[0;0H$(date)\e8"
That was amazing! You just jumped in and saved the day, the clock works.  Now I just have to figure out how to kill it when I start a program and bring it back when they exit.
EDIT: Here's the code so far:
#!/bin/bash
# Xplorer - A launcher to various programs, similar to favorites
# Author - Mega-G33k
RUNNING=1
while [ $RUNNING -eq 1 ]; do
clear
(while true; do
printf "\e7\e[0;0H$(date "+%T")\e8"
sleep 1
done) &
echo ""
echo "Welcome to \"Xplorer\""
echo ""
echo "1 - Midnight Commander"
echo "2 - Links"
echo "3 - Mutt"
echo "4 - Newsbeuter"
echo "5 - Podbeuter"
echo "6 - NCMPC"
echo "7 - Irssi"
echo "8 - CenterIM"
echo "9 - Start X"
echo "10 - Mount first DVD drive (sr0)"
echo "11 - Unmount first DVD drive (sr0)"
echo "0 - Exit"
echo ""
echo -n "Please enter an option[0-11] "
read boole
if [ $boole -eq 1 ]; then
mc
elif [ $boole -eq 2 ]; then
links
elif [ $boole -eq 3 ]; then
mutt
elif [ $boole -eq 4 ]; then
newsbeuter
elif [ $boole -eq 5 ]; then
podbeuter
elif [ $boole -eq 6 ]; then
ncmpc
elif [ $boole -eq 7 ]; then
irssi
elif [ $boole -eq 8 ]; then
centerim
elif [ $boole -eq 9 ]; then
if ps -A | grep X &> /dev/null; then
echo "X has already been started"
read -n 1 -s
else
startx
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 10 ]; then
if [ "$UID" != "0" ]; then
gksudo mount /dev/sr0 ~/drives/sr0
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 11 ]; then
if [ "$UID" != "0" ]; then
gksudo umount ~/drives/sr0
fi
elif [ $boole -eq 0 ]; then
exit 0
else
echo "Invalid option entered"
read -n 1 -s
fi
done
Last edited by Mega-G33k (2010-09-29 14:40:03)