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574 lines
18 KiB
574 lines
18 KiB
A light, featureful and explicit option parsing library for node.js. |
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[Why another one? See below](#why). tl;dr: The others I've tried are one of |
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too loosey goosey (not explicit), too big/too many deps, or ill specified. |
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YMMV. |
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Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=trentmick" target="_blank">@trentmick</a> |
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for updates to node-dashdash. |
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# Install |
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npm install dashdash |
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# Usage |
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```javascript |
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var dashdash = require('dashdash'); |
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// Specify the options. Minimally `name` (or `names`) and `type` |
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// must be given for each. |
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var options = [ |
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{ |
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// `names` or a single `name`. First element is the `opts.KEY`. |
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names: ['help', 'h'], |
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// See "Option specs" below for types. |
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type: 'bool', |
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help: 'Print this help and exit.' |
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} |
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]; |
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// Shortcut form. As called it infers `process.argv`. See below for |
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// the longer form to use methods like `.help()` on the Parser object. |
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var opts = dashdash.parse({options: options}); |
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console.log("opts:", opts); |
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console.log("args:", opts._args); |
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``` |
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# Longer Example |
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A more realistic [starter script "foo.js"](./examples/foo.js) is as follows. |
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This also shows using `parser.help()` for formatted option help. |
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```javascript |
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var dashdash = require('./lib/dashdash'); |
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var options = [ |
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{ |
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name: 'version', |
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type: 'bool', |
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help: 'Print tool version and exit.' |
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}, |
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{ |
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names: ['help', 'h'], |
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type: 'bool', |
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help: 'Print this help and exit.' |
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}, |
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{ |
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names: ['verbose', 'v'], |
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type: 'arrayOfBool', |
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help: 'Verbose output. Use multiple times for more verbose.' |
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}, |
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{ |
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names: ['file', 'f'], |
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type: 'string', |
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help: 'File to process', |
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helpArg: 'FILE' |
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} |
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]; |
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var parser = dashdash.createParser({options: options}); |
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try { |
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var opts = parser.parse(process.argv); |
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} catch (e) { |
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console.error('foo: error: %s', e.message); |
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process.exit(1); |
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} |
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console.log("# opts:", opts); |
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console.log("# args:", opts._args); |
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// Use `parser.help()` for formatted options help. |
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if (opts.help) { |
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var help = parser.help({includeEnv: true}).trimRight(); |
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console.log('usage: node foo.js [OPTIONS]\n' |
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+ 'options:\n' |
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+ help); |
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process.exit(0); |
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} |
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// ... |
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``` |
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Some example output from this script (foo.js): |
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``` |
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$ node foo.js -h |
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# opts: { help: true, |
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_order: [ { name: 'help', value: true, from: 'argv' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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usage: node foo.js [OPTIONS] |
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options: |
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--version Print tool version and exit. |
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-h, --help Print this help and exit. |
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-v, --verbose Verbose output. Use multiple times for more verbose. |
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-f FILE, --file=FILE File to process |
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$ node foo.js -v |
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# opts: { verbose: [ true ], |
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_order: [ { name: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'argv' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ node foo.js --version arg1 |
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# opts: { version: true, |
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_order: [ { name: 'version', value: true, from: 'argv' } ], |
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_args: [ 'arg1' ] } |
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# args: [ 'arg1' ] |
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$ node foo.js -f bar.txt |
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# opts: { file: 'bar.txt', |
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_order: [ { name: 'file', value: 'bar.txt', from: 'argv' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ node foo.js -vvv --file=blah |
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# opts: { verbose: [ true, true, true ], |
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file: 'blah', |
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_order: |
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[ { name: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'argv' }, |
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{ name: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'argv' }, |
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{ name: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'argv' }, |
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{ name: 'file', value: 'blah', from: 'argv' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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``` |
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See the ["examples"](examples/) dir for a number of starter examples using |
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some of dashdash's features. |
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# Environment variable integration |
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If you want to allow environment variables to specify options to your tool, |
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dashdash makes this easy. We can change the 'verbose' option in the example |
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above to include an 'env' field: |
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```javascript |
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{ |
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names: ['verbose', 'v'], |
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type: 'arrayOfBool', |
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env: 'FOO_VERBOSE', // <--- add this line |
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help: 'Verbose output. Use multiple times for more verbose.' |
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}, |
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``` |
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then the **"FOO_VERBOSE" environment variable** can be used to set this |
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option: |
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```shell |
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$ FOO_VERBOSE=1 node foo.js |
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# opts: { verbose: [ true ], |
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_order: [ { name: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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``` |
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Boolean options will interpret the empty string as unset, '0' as false |
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and anything else as true. |
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```shell |
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$ FOO_VERBOSE= node examples/foo.js # not set |
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# opts: { _order: [], _args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ FOO_VERBOSE=0 node examples/foo.js # '0' is false |
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# opts: { verbose: [ false ], |
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_order: [ { key: 'verbose', value: false, from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ FOO_VERBOSE=1 node examples/foo.js # true |
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# opts: { verbose: [ true ], |
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_order: [ { key: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ FOO_VERBOSE=boogabooga node examples/foo.js # true |
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# opts: { verbose: [ true ], |
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_order: [ { key: 'verbose', value: true, from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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``` |
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Non-booleans can be used as well. Strings: |
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```shell |
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$ FOO_FILE=data.txt node examples/foo.js |
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# opts: { file: 'data.txt', |
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_order: [ { key: 'file', value: 'data.txt', from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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``` |
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Numbers: |
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```shell |
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$ FOO_TIMEOUT=5000 node examples/foo.js |
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# opts: { timeout: 5000, |
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_order: [ { key: 'timeout', value: 5000, from: 'env' } ], |
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_args: [] } |
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# args: [] |
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$ FOO_TIMEOUT=blarg node examples/foo.js |
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foo: error: arg for "FOO_TIMEOUT" is not a positive integer: "blarg" |
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``` |
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With the `includeEnv: true` config to `parser.help()` the environment |
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variable can also be included in **help output**: |
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usage: node foo.js [OPTIONS] |
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options: |
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--version Print tool version and exit. |
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-h, --help Print this help and exit. |
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-v, --verbose Verbose output. Use multiple times for more verbose. |
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Environment: FOO_VERBOSE=1 |
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-f FILE, --file=FILE File to process |
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# Bash completion |
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Dashdash provides a simple way to create a Bash completion file that you |
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can place in your "bash_completion.d" directory -- sometimes that is |
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"/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/"). Features: |
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- Support for short and long opts |
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- Support for knowing which options take arguments |
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- Support for subcommands (e.g. 'git log <TAB>' to show just options for the |
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log subcommand). See |
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[node-cmdln](https://github.com/trentm/node-cmdln#bash-completion) for |
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how to integrate that. |
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- Does the right thing with "--" to stop options. |
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- Custom optarg and arg types for custom completions. |
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Dashdash will return bash completion file content given a parser instance: |
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var parser = dashdash.createParser({options: options}); |
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console.log( parser.bashCompletion({name: 'mycli'}) ); |
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or directly from a `options` array of options specs: |
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var code = dashdash.bashCompletionFromOptions({ |
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name: 'mycli', |
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options: OPTIONS |
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}); |
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Write that content to "/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/mycli" and you will |
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have Bash completions for `mycli`. Alternatively you can write it to |
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any file (e.g. "~/.bashrc") and source it. |
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You could add a `--completion` hidden option to your tool that emits the |
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completion content and document for your users to call that to install |
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Bash completions. |
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See [examples/ddcompletion.js](examples/ddcompletion.js) for a complete |
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example, including how one can define bash functions for completion of custom |
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option types. Also see [node-cmdln](https://github.com/trentm/node-cmdln) for |
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how it uses this for Bash completion for full multi-subcommand tools. |
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- TODO: document specExtra |
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- TODO: document includeHidden |
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- TODO: document custom types, `function complete\_FOO` guide, completionType |
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- TODO: document argtypes |
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# Parser config |
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Parser construction (i.e. `dashdash.createParser(CONFIG)`) takes the |
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following fields: |
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- `options` (Array of option specs). Required. See the |
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[Option specs](#option-specs) section below. |
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- `interspersed` (Boolean). Optional. Default is true. If true this allows |
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interspersed arguments and options. I.e.: |
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node ./tool.js -v arg1 arg2 -h # '-h' is after interspersed args |
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Set it to false to have '-h' **not** get parsed as an option in the above |
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example. |
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- `allowUnknown` (Boolean). Optional. Default is false. If false, this causes |
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unknown arguments to throw an error. I.e.: |
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node ./tool.js -v arg1 --afe8asefksjefhas |
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Set it to true to treat the unknown option as a positional |
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argument. |
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**Caveat**: When a shortopt group, such as `-xaz` contains a mix of |
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known and unknown options, the *entire* group is passed through |
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unmolested as a positional argument. |
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Consider if you have a known short option `-a`, and parse the |
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following command line: |
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node ./tool.js -xaz |
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where `-x` and `-z` are unknown. There are multiple ways to |
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interpret this: |
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1. `-x` takes a value: `{x: 'az'}` |
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2. `-x` and `-z` are both booleans: `{x:true,a:true,z:true}` |
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Since dashdash does not know what `-x` and `-z` are, it can't know |
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if you'd prefer to receive `{a:true,_args:['-x','-z']}` or |
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`{x:'az'}`, or `{_args:['-xaz']}`. Leaving the positional arg unprocessed |
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is the easiest mistake for the user to recover from. |
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# Option specs |
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Example using all fields (required fields are noted): |
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```javascript |
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{ |
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names: ['file', 'f'], // Required (one of `names` or `name`). |
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type: 'string', // Required. |
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completionType: 'filename', |
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env: 'MYTOOL_FILE', |
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help: 'Config file to load before running "mytool"', |
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helpArg: 'PATH', |
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helpWrap: false, |
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default: path.resolve(process.env.HOME, '.mytoolrc') |
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} |
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``` |
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Each option spec in the `options` array must/can have the following fields: |
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- `name` (String) or `names` (Array). Required. These give the option name |
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and aliases. The first name (if more than one given) is the key for the |
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parsed `opts` object. |
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- `type` (String). Required. One of: |
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- bool |
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- string |
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- number |
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- integer |
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- positiveInteger |
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- date (epoch seconds, e.g. 1396031701, or ISO 8601 format |
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`YYYY-MM-DD[THH:MM:SS[.sss][Z]]`, e.g. "2014-03-28T18:35:01.489Z") |
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- arrayOfBool |
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- arrayOfString |
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- arrayOfNumber |
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- arrayOfInteger |
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- arrayOfPositiveInteger |
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- arrayOfDate |
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FWIW, these names attempt to match with asserts on |
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[assert-plus](https://github.com/mcavage/node-assert-plus). |
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You can add your own custom option types with `dashdash.addOptionType`. |
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See below. |
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- `completionType` (String). Optional. This is used for [Bash |
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completion](#bash-completion) for an option argument. If not specified, |
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then the value of `type` is used. Any string may be specified, but only the |
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following values have meaning: |
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- `none`: Provide no completions. |
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- `file`: Bash's default completion (i.e. `complete -o default`), which |
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includes filenames. |
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- *Any string FOO for which a `function complete_FOO` Bash function is |
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defined.* This is for custom completions for a given tool. Typically |
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these custom functions are provided in the `specExtra` argument to |
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`dashdash.bashCompletionFromOptions()`. See |
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["examples/ddcompletion.js"](examples/ddcompletion.js) for an example. |
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- `env` (String or Array of String). Optional. An environment variable name |
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(or names) that can be used as a fallback for this option. For example, |
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given a "foo.js" like this: |
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var options = [{names: ['dry-run', 'n'], env: 'FOO_DRY_RUN'}]; |
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var opts = dashdash.parse({options: options}); |
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Both `node foo.js --dry-run` and `FOO_DRY_RUN=1 node foo.js` would result |
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in `opts.dry_run = true`. |
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An environment variable is only used as a fallback, i.e. it is ignored if |
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the associated option is given in `argv`. |
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- `help` (String). Optional. Used for `parser.help()` output. |
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- `helpArg` (String). Optional. Used in help output as the placeholder for |
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the option argument, e.g. the "PATH" in: |
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... |
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-f PATH, --file=PATH File to process |
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... |
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- `helpWrap` (Boolean). Optional, default true. Set this to `false` to have |
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that option's `help` *not* be text wrapped in `<parser>.help()` output. |
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- `default`. Optional. A default value used for this option, if the |
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option isn't specified in argv. |
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- `hidden` (Boolean). Optional, default false. If true, help output will not |
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include this option. See also the `includeHidden` option to |
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`bashCompletionFromOptions()` for [Bash completion](#bash-completion). |
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# Option group headings |
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You can add headings between option specs in the `options` array. To do so, |
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simply add an object with only a `group` property -- the string to print as |
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the heading for the subsequent options in the array. For example: |
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```javascript |
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var options = [ |
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{ |
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group: 'Armament Options' |
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}, |
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{ |
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names: [ 'weapon', 'w' ], |
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type: 'string' |
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}, |
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{ |
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group: 'General Options' |
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}, |
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{ |
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names: [ 'help', 'h' ], |
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type: 'bool' |
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} |
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]; |
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... |
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``` |
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Note: You can use an empty string, `{group: ''}`, to get a blank line in help |
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output between groups of options. |
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# Help config |
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The `parser.help(...)` function is configurable as follows: |
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Options: |
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Armament Options: |
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^^ -w WEAPON, --weapon=WEAPON Weapon with which to crush. One of: | |
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/ sword, spear, maul | |
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/ General Options: | |
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/ -h, --help Print this help and exit. | |
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/ ^^^^ ^ | |
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\ `-- indent `-- helpCol maxCol ---' |
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`-- headingIndent |
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- `indent` (Number or String). Default 4. Set to a number (for that many |
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spaces) or a string for the literal indent. |
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- `headingIndent` (Number or String). Default half length of `indent`. Set to |
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a number (for that many spaces) or a string for the literal indent. This |
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indent applies to group heading lines, between normal option lines. |
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- `nameSort` (String). Default is 'length'. By default the names are |
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sorted to put the short opts first (i.e. '-h, --help' preferred |
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to '--help, -h'). Set to 'none' to not do this sorting. |
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- `maxCol` (Number). Default 80. Note that reflow is just done on whitespace |
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so a long token in the option help can overflow maxCol. |
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- `helpCol` (Number). If not set a reasonable value will be determined |
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between `minHelpCol` and `maxHelpCol`. |
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- `minHelpCol` (Number). Default 20. |
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- `maxHelpCol` (Number). Default 40. |
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- `helpWrap` (Boolean). Default true. Set to `false` to have option `help` |
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strings *not* be textwrapped to the helpCol..maxCol range. |
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- `includeEnv` (Boolean). Default false. If the option has associated |
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environment variables (via the `env` option spec attribute), then |
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append mentioned of those envvars to the help string. |
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- `includeDefault` (Boolean). Default false. If the option has a default value |
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(via the `default` option spec attribute, or a default on the option's type), |
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then a "Default: VALUE" string will be appended to the help string. |
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# Custom option types |
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Dashdash includes a good starter set of option types that it will parse for |
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you. However, you can add your own via: |
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var dashdash = require('dashdash'); |
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dashdash.addOptionType({ |
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name: '...', |
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takesArg: true, |
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helpArg: '...', |
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parseArg: function (option, optstr, arg) { |
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... |
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}, |
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array: false, // optional |
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arrayFlatten: false, // optional |
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default: ..., // optional |
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completionType: ... // optional |
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}); |
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For example, a simple option type that accepts 'yes', 'y', 'no' or 'n' as |
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a boolean argument would look like: |
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var dashdash = require('dashdash'); |
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function parseYesNo(option, optstr, arg) { |
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var argLower = arg.toLowerCase() |
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if (~['yes', 'y'].indexOf(argLower)) { |
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return true; |
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} else if (~['no', 'n'].indexOf(argLower)) { |
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return false; |
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} else { |
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throw new Error(format( |
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'arg for "%s" is not "yes" or "no": "%s"', |
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optstr, arg)); |
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} |
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} |
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dashdash.addOptionType({ |
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name: 'yesno' |
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takesArg: true, |
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helpArg: '<yes|no>', |
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parseArg: parseYesNo |
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}); |
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var options = { |
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{names: ['answer', 'a'], type: 'yesno'} |
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}; |
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var opts = dashdash.parse({options: options}); |
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See "examples/custom-option-\*.js" for other examples. |
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See the `addOptionType` block comment in "lib/dashdash.js" for more details. |
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Please let me know [with an |
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issue](https://github.com/trentm/node-dashdash/issues/new) if you write a |
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generally useful one. |
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# Why |
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Why another node.js option parsing lib? |
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- `nopt` really is just for "tools like npm". Implicit opts (e.g. '--no-foo' |
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works for every '--foo'). Can't disable abbreviated opts. Can't do multiple |
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usages of same opt, e.g. '-vvv' (I think). Can't do grouped short opts. |
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- `optimist` has surprise interpretation of options (at least to me). |
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Implicit opts mean ambiguities and poor error handling for fat-fingering. |
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`process.exit` calls makes it hard to use as a libary. |
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- `optparse` Incomplete docs. Is this an attempted clone of Python's `optparse`. |
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Not clear. Some divergence. `parser.on("name", ...)` API is weird. |
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- `argparse` Dep on underscore. No thanks just for option processing. |
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`find lib | wc -l` -> `26`. Overkill. |
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Argparse is a bit different anyway. Not sure I want that. |
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- `posix-getopt` No type validation. Though that isn't a killer. AFAIK can't |
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have a long opt without a short alias. I.e. no `getopt_long` semantics. |
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Also, no whizbang features like generated help output. |
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- ["commander.js"](https://github.com/visionmedia/commander.js): I wrote |
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[a critique](http://trentm.com/2014/01/a-critique-of-commander-for-nodejs.html) |
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a while back. It seems fine, but last I checked had |
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[an outstanding bug](https://github.com/visionmedia/commander.js/pull/121) |
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that would prevent me from using it. |
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# License |
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MIT. See LICENSE.txt.
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