Automating with Bash Scripts

Bash scripting allows you to automate repetitive terminal tasks — saving time, reducing mistakes, and ensuring consistent execution. Whether you’re running simulations, organizing results, or testing setups, Bash scripts are a simple yet powerful tool to streamline your workflow.

What is a Bash Script?

A Bash script is just a text file containing a series of commands that are executed in order. Instead of typing commands manually each time, you can run the script once and let it do the work automatically.

Creating a Simple Bash Script

Let’s create a simple Bash script to test if your setup works correctly.

1. Open a terminal and create a new file:

   nano test_script.sh

2. Add the following lines:

   #!/bin/bash
   echo "Creating a Python test file..."
   echo 'print("If you are seeing this, then your bash is working fine")' > test.py
   python3 test.py
   echo "Bash script executed successfully!"

3. Save and exit (Ctrl + O, Enter, Ctrl + X).

4. Make the script executable:

   chmod +x test_script.sh

5. Run it:

   ./test_script.sh

If everything is set up correctly, you should see:

If you are seeing this, then your bash is working fine

Verifying Python Availability

Before running the script, make sure Python is available in your terminal by checking:

which python

or

python --version

These commands confirm the Python installation path and version.

Supported Terminals

The above commands and script will work in:

• Ubuntu / Linux terminals
• WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
• macOS Terminal

On Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell, Bash commands won’t work natively — you’ll need to run them through WSL (Ubuntu) or a Git Bash terminal.

Summary

This simple example shows how to:

• Write a Bash script
• Automate file creation and Python execution
• Verify your Python environment

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can extend Bash scripts to run simulations, batch-process meshes, or automate complete study workflows.