---
name: "d.ask"
section: "1grass"
platform: "linux"
package: "grass-doc"
version: "6.4.4-1"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/d.ask"
---

# d.ask(1grass)

Prompts the user to select a GRASS data base file from among files displayed in a menu on the graphics monitor.

## NAME

**d.ask**  - Prompts the user to select a GRASS data base file from among files displayed in a menu on the graphics monitor.

## KEYWORDS

display, map management

## SYNOPSIS

**d.ask**\
 **d.ask help**\
 **d.ask element**=*name,description*  \[**prompt**=*message*\]   \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]

### Parameters:

- **element**=*name,description*

  Database element, one word description

- **prompt**=*message*

  Short user prompt message

## DESCRIPTION

*d.ask* is designed for shell scripts that need to prompt the user for  the name of a data base file in the user's current GRASS mapset search path.  After *d.ask* is invoked with needed parameters,  the mouse becomes active and a menu containing files of the specified  *element* type is displayed on the user's graphics monitor.  The user is prompted by the prompt "*message*" to select one of the  listed file names with the mouse. Specifically, the query that appears  to the user takes the form:

 **Double** click on the *prompt* "message"\
\
  **Double** click here to cancel

 (A list of files of the specified *element* type from each  of the mapsets listed in the user's mapset search path is also  displayed.)

After the user responds, the mouse is deactivated and  the displayed menu is erased from the screen  (leaving any underlying materials on display intact).  Three lines are written to standard output (the user's terminal screen):

**name=***file\_name*\
 **mapset=***mapset\_name*\
 **fullname=***file\_name@mapset\_name*

### Parameters:

- **element=***name,description*

  Name of a GRASS data base element, followed by a one word description of the  element. GRASS data base elements are mapset subdirectories; these include:  bdlg, cats, cell, cell\_misc, cellhd, colr, colr2, dig, dig\_ascii, dig\_att,  dig\_cats, dig\_plus, dlg, group, hist, icons, noise, paint, site\_lists, and  windows.  The *description* will be used to display an error message to the screen  if no files of the named element type exist in the user's mapset search path.  The prompt "*message*" will appear in the pop-up menu displayed on the  user's graphics monitor. The files listed in the menu will be of the  specified *element* type, and exist in mapsets listed in the user's  current mapset search path.

- **prompt=**

  A brief message with which the user will be prompted.  If this message contains more than one word, it should be  enclosed within double quotes ("").  It is a non-selectable message displayed in the menu bar of a pop-up menu.  Selectable items in the displayed menu include a cancel option and any of the  files in the mapset subdirectory *name* in the user's mapset search path.

## EXAMPLE

Given the following input,

**d.ask element=**cell,raster **prompt=**"raster map layer to  be used"

*d.ask* will prompt the user to select a raster (cell) file from among  those listed in the "cell" directories of the mapsets listed in his current  mapset search path. A pop-up menu will be displayed on the user's graphics  monitor, containing the prompt:

 **Double** click on the *raster* map layer to be used\
\
  **Double** click here to cancel

## OUTPUT

If the user selects a file name from the displayed menu,  *d.ask* writes three lines to standard output:

 **name=***file\_name* \
\
  **mapset=***mapset\_name* \
\
  **fullname=***file\_name@mapset\_name*

The output is in the form of /bin/sh commands to set the variable  *name* to the file name specified by the user  (of the *element* type requested by *d.ask*), *mapset* to the GRASS mapset in which this file resides, and *fullname* to the name of the file and its mapset.

If the user elects not to select a file but instead chooses the  "Double click here to cancel" option,  the mouse will be deactivated and no variable assignments will be  returned to standard output.

If no files of the specified *element* type are found in the user's  current mapset search path, the mouse is activated and the following message  is displayed on the user's graphics monitor:

 **No** *element* description files found \
\
  **Click here to continue**

## NOTES

Parameter values  (the *element* name and description, and *prompt* message)  cannot be supplied to *d.ask* interactively;  they must be supplied on the command line or from a file.

## SEE ALSO

*d.menu,*\
 *g.ask,*\
 *g.filename,*\
 *g.findfile,*\
 *g.gisenv,*\
 *g.mapsets*

## BUGS

This program calls other GRASS programs which may generate confusing  error messages. Example: an error message from the  program d.menu  will appear if a nonexistent map element is chosen.

## AUTHOR

Michael Shapiro, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

*Last changed: $Date: 2011-11-08 12:29:50 +0100 (Tue, 08 Nov 2011) $*

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© 2003-2014 GRASS Development Team