OS Manuals

/usr/bin/whiptail

A library for text mode user interfaces

From newt 0.52.25-r3 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running whiptail --help (exit 0). permalink

Box options:
	--msgbox <text> <height> <width>
	--yesno  <text> <height> <width>
	--infobox <text> <height> <width>
	--inputbox <text> <height> <width> [init]
	--passwordbox <text> <height> <width> [init]
	--textbox <file> <height> <width>
	--menu <text> <height> <width> <listheight> [tag item] ...
	--checklist <text> <height> <width> <listheight> [tag item status]...
	--radiolist <text> <height> <width> <listheight> [tag item status]...
	--gauge <text> <height> <width> <percent>
Options: (depend on box-option)
	--clear				clear screen on exit
	--defaultno			default no button
	--default-item <string>		set default string
	--fb, --fullbuttons		use full buttons
	--nocancel			no cancel button
	--yes-button <text>		set text of yes button
	--no-button <text>		set text of no button
	--ok-button <text>		set text of ok button
	--cancel-button <text>		set text of cancel button
	--noitem			don't display items
	--notags			don't display tags
	--separate-output		output one line at a time
	--output-fd <fd>		output to fd, not stdout
	--title <title>			display title
	--backtitle <backtitle>		display backtitle
	--scrolltext			force vertical scrollbars
	--topleft			put window in top-left corner
	-h, --help			print this message
	-v, --version			print version information
Options (24)
OptionDescriptionSource
--yesno textA yes/no dialog box of size height rows by width columns will be displayed.help + man
--clearThe screen will be cleared to the screen attribute on exit.help + man
--defaultnoThe dialog box will open with the cursor over the No button.help + man
--default-item stringSet the default item in a menu box.help + man
--fb, --fullbuttonsUse full buttons.help + man
--nocancelThe dialog box won't have a Cancel button.help + man
--yes-button textSet the text of the Yes button.help + man
--no-button textSet the text of the No button.help + man
--ok-button textSet the text of the Ok button.help + man
--cancel-button textSet the text of the Cancel button.help + man
--noitemThe menu, checklist and radiolist widgets will display tags only, not the item strings.help + man
--notagsDon't display tags in the menu, checklist and radiolist widgets.help + man
--separate-outputFor checklist widgets, output result one line at a time, with no quoting.help + man
--output-fd fdDirect output to the given file descriptor.help + man
--title titleSpecifies a title string to be displayed at the top of the dialog box.help + man
--backtitle backtitleSpecifies a backtitle string to be displayed on the backdrop, at the top of the screen.help + man
--scrolltextForce the display of a vertical scrollbar.help + man
--topleftPut window in top-left corner.help + man
-h, --helpPrint a help message and exit.help + man
-v, --versionPrint version information and exit.help + man
--msgbox textA message box is very similar to a yes/no box. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--infobox textAn info box is basically a message box. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--textbox fileA text box lets you display the contents of a text file in a dialog box. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--gauge textA gauge box displays a meter along the bottom of the box. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
Exit status (2) from the manual page
0whiptail is exited by pressing the Yes or OK button
1the No or Cancel button is pressed

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.