I want to make a script that: (1) Gets a path giving the user the ability to use tab to autocomplete, then (2) gets a filename from the user, and then (3) creates a file at that path with extension .txt. My question is: How do I do 1.? How do I tell bash to ask for input that is an autocompletable path, preferably with part of the path (say ~/x/) already filled out by default?Note: the paths will almost always include spaces. 
Use the terminal's autocomplete path feature for input to a shell script
bash;shell;shell script;terminal
read -p enter a directory:  -i $HOME/x/ -e pathFrom a bash session, enter help read|less