help and usage on how to start with s3h

.options file can be added into group folder to
add ssh options for every file inside this group folder

s3h.sh

@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ if [[ $# -eq 1 && -d "$1" ]]; then
 	START_DIR="$1"
 fi
 
+if [[ ! -d "$START_DIR" ]]; then
+	echo "start directory '$START_DIR' does not exist" >&2
+	echo -e "either create or set 'start directory' parameter\n" >&2
+	echo "Usage: $0 [start directory]" >&2
+	exit 2
+fi
+
 # select config file
 configFile=''
 while [[ -z "$configFile" ]]; do
@@ -24,14 +31,24 @@ while [[ -z "$configFile" ]]; do
 	fi
 
 	# add directory selectors
-	for d in `find $dir -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d -printf "%f\n" |sort`; do
+	dirs=`find $dir -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 ! -name '.*' -type d -printf "%f\n" |sort`
+	for d in $dirs; do
 		para+=("$d" "<$d>")
 	done
 	# add file selectors
-	for d in `find $dir -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f -printf "%f\n" |sort`; do
+	files=`find $dir -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 ! -name '.*' -type f -printf "%f\n" |sort`
+	for d in $files; do
 		para+=("$d" "$d")
 	done
 
+	if [[ ${#para[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+		echo "no file or directory found in '$dir'" >&2
+		echo "either create a connection file like" >&2
+		echo -e "\ttouch '$dir/root@example.org'" >&2
+		echo "or create a group by adding a directory" >&2
+		exit 3
+	fi
+
 	# run dialog
 	ret=$("$DIALOG" --no-tags --stdout --menu "select connection" 0 0 0 ${para[@]} 2>&1)
 	if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
@@ -53,14 +70,22 @@ done
 
 # read config file and connect
 if [[ -f "$configFile" ]]; then
+	clear
 	# each line equals one config option
 	para=()
 	while read -r configLine; do
 		para+=($configLine)
 	done < "$configFile"
 
+	# lookup group specific option file
+	if [[ -f "$dir/.options" ]]; then
+		while read -r configLine; do
+			para+=($configLine)
+		done < "$dir/.options"
+		echo "using group options file '$dir/.options'"
+	fi
+
 	# clear screen // remove dialog colors
-	clear
 	echo "config file '$configFile' selected. connecting..."
 
 	# execute ssh