How to get the user input recursively until the user provides valid input

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi,

echo "Enter file name of input file list along with absolute path : "
read inputFileList
 
if [ -f $inputFileList ]
then
    for string in `cat inputFileList`
    do 
       echo $string
    done
else
     echo " file does not exist"
fi

From the above code, if the user enters a invalid file then "file does not exist" is given and the program is done.
How to prompt the user for input continuously untill the user enters the proper file name with absolute path without exiting the program i.e. "Enter file name of input file list along with absolute path : " prompt should be given as long as the user gives a invalid filename.

Using a loop is one way. any other way or better ways?
Thanks,
Srini

2

What's wrong with a loop?

#! /bin/bash
while :
do
    echo "Enter file name of input file list along with absolute path : "
    read inputFileList

    if [ -f $inputFileList ]
    then
        cat $inputFileList
        break
    else
        echo "File does not exist. Try again."
    fi
done

The part highlighted in red looks redundant. You may shorten it to just cat $inputFileList