Expert Shell Scripting

CHAPTER 29Automating InteractiveProcesses

Automating commands that are normally used interactively is something I've done many times. The simplest and most common script of this sort that I've used automates an ftp session to copy files from system to system. I'll concede that for security reasons, ftp is not a good method for moving files around, especially when the session requires login/password authentication as a user other than "anonymous." Usernames and passwords are then sent across the network unencrypted. Even in a controlled environment, this has its risks, which should be considered carefully. Using this method out in the wild means asking for trouble.

In any case, the point of this section is not to weigh the pros and cons of using ...