Command Line Parser Library

Updated Wiki: sample application

gsscoder — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:43:41 GMT

This is the sample application that you can found in version 1.4 stable:

namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
            [ValueList(typeof(List<string>))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:18:14 GMT

Updates

There aren't really big differences from previous Release Candidate 0 version. Anyway this library has demonstrated its stability in various closed source projects. I'm talking in projects that I developed for clients during ordinary work. If you use this project for personal use, in commercial or open source projects please let me know (and let me know also if I can publish your name in the home of this project). Use it, there's no fee of any kind!
In the stable release I've done:

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

Components containers are the future (and for a growing numbers of developers - the present) of the foundation of a solid software architecture. For this reason you should stop using the Parser type, instead use the new type CommandLineParser declaring it using the ICommandLineParser interface.
With this architectural choice, the use with a component container you should be simplified. Follows sample pseudo-code.

/* Initialization Code */
MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmdline.parser", typre);
/* [... omissis ...] */
/* Command Line Processing Code */
parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmdline.parser");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Released: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:18:13 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

/* Initialization Code */
MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmdline.parser", typre);
/* [... omissis ...] */
/* Command Line Processing Code */
parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmdline.parser");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:17:08 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

/* Initialization Code */
MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
/* [... omissis ...] */
/* Command Line Processing Code */
parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:13:34 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

class MyConsoleApp {
    // Initialization Code

    MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
    container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
    // [... omissis ...]

    // Command Line Processing Code

    parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");
}

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:11:19 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

{code:c#}
// Initialization Code
MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
 
// [... omissis ...]
 
// Command Line Processing Code
parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");
{code:c#}

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:10:13 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

// Initialization Code

MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
// [... omissis ...]

// Command Line Processing Code

parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:09:32 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

// Initialization Code

MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
// [... omissis ...]

// Command Line Processing Code

parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Release: 1.4 stable (Dec 20, 2008)

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:07:37 GMT

Updates

some minor internal code refactoring
reorganized the source tree
made the API more compatible with components container

Containers Compatibility

// Initialization Code

MyContainer container = new MyContainer();
container.AddComponent<ICommandLineParser, CommandLineParser>("cmd-line", typre);
[...]
// Command Line Processing Code

parser = container.Resolve<ICommandLineParser>("cmd-line");

This is not the place to go deeper in this argument, please read my blog article about it (and more).

Updated Wiki: Home

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:06:45 GMT

Introduction

The Command Line Parser Library offers to CLR applications a simple programming interface for manipulating command line input. This library allows you to display an help screen with a good degree of customization. The API keeps on its shoulders everything boring to code (or I hope so, if not suggestions are always welcome!).

How it works?

The command line input, read from the standard entry point as string array, is then pushed in an instance of custom type decorated with library attributes. You just create this class with one field for each option value you want to make persistent (and a special field for non-option values). Rules about command line options are engraved in your custom type from library attributes. The library source code contains a sample application that will clarify all told up to this moment.

Source or Binary?

The project is entirely written in C# and is also thought to be included in another project (in this case the language used must match). If you reference the library as binary DLL file (obviously from any .NET language) you can take advantage (depending on your IDE) of documentation comments attached to any publicly visible members.

Input Specification

User can specify options with a high degree of freedom.
This Unix-like specification survives from years and years...
However, you can read all details about it here: Input Specification.

Reason to Use

See this my old blog post of 30 June 2007.

Features

Simple API
Compatibility

.NET Framework 2.0+
Mono Profile 2.0+

Tested

Each release is tested with Mono on Linux.
Contains unit tests from first release.

Contacts

For go deeper on the usage, for bug reports and features requests:
Author's Blog
Author's E-Mail
And remember to take advantage of all greats CodePlex features.

Updated Wiki: sample application

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:05:38 GMT

This is the sample application that you can found in version 1.4 stable:

namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
            [ValueList(typeof(List<string>))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}
namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
            [ValueList(typeof(List<string>))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}

Updated Wiki: sample-app.cs

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:04:44 GMT

namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
            [ValueList(typeof(Liststring))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}

Updated Wiki: sample-app.cs

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:04:10 GMT

namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
            [ValueList(typeof(Liststring))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}

Updated Wiki: sample-app.cs

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:03:40 GMT

{code:c#}namespace SampleApp { using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using CommandLine; using CommandLine.Text; internal sealed class Program { private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5"); private sealed class Options { [Option("r", "read", Required = true, HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")] public string InputFile = String.Empty; [Option("w", "write", HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")] public string OutputFile = String.Empty; [Option(null, "calculate", HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")] public bool Calculate = false; [Option("v", null, HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")] public int VerboseLevel = 0; [Option("i", null, HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")] public bool IgnoreErrors = false; [Option("j", "jump", HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")] public double StartOffset = 0; [ValueList(typeof(Liststring))] public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null; [HelpOption( HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")] public string GetUsage() { HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo); help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007); help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of"); help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>."); help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate"); help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format(" SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7)); help.AddOptions(this); return help; } } private static void Main(string[] args) { Options options = new Options(); ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser(); if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error)) { Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString()); Console.WriteLine(); Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile); foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles) Console.WriteLine(" using definition file: {0}", defFile); Console.WriteLine(" start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset); Console.WriteLine(" tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()); Console.WriteLine(" on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing"); Console.WriteLine(); if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0) { headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile)); } else { headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:"); Console.WriteLine("[...]"); } Environment.Exit(0); } else { Environment.Exit(1); } } } }

Updated Wiki: sample-app.cs

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:01:25 GMT

namespace SampleApp
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using CommandLine;
    using CommandLine.Text;
 
    internal sealed class Program
    {
        private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");
 
        private sealed class Options
        {
            [Option("r", "read",
                    Required = true,
                    HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
            public string InputFile = String.Empty;
 
            [Option("w", "write",
                    HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
            public string OutputFile = String.Empty;
 
            [Option(null, "calculate",
                    HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
            public bool Calculate = false;
 
            [Option("v", null,
                    HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
            public int VerboseLevel = 0;
 
            [Option("i", null,
                   HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
            public bool IgnoreErrors = false;
 
            [Option("j", "jump",
                    HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
            public double StartOffset = 0;
 
            [ValueList(typeof(Liststring))]
            public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;
 
            [HelpOption(
                    HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
            public string GetUsage()
            {
                HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
                help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
                help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format("       SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
                help.AddOptions(this);
                return help;
            }
        }
 
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Options options = new Options();
            ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
            if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
                foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
                    Console.WriteLine("  using definition file: {0}", defFile);
                Console.WriteLine("  start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
                Console.WriteLine("  tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
                Console.WriteLine("  on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
                Console.WriteLine();
                if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
                }
                else
                {
                    headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
                    Console.WriteLine("[...]");
                }
                Environment.Exit(0);
            }
            else
            {
                Environment.Exit(1);
            }
        }
    }
}

Updated Wiki: sample-app.cs

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:00:51 GMT

namespace SampleApp
{
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using CommandLine;
using CommandLine.Text;

internal sealed class Program
{
private static readonly HeadingInfo headingInfo = new HeadingInfo("sampleapp", "1.2.5");

private sealed class Options
{
[Option("r", "read",
Required = true,
HelpText = "Input file with data to process.")]
public string InputFile = String.Empty;

[Option("w", "write",
HelpText = "Output file with processed data (otherwise standard output).")]
public string OutputFile = String.Empty;

[Option(null, "calculate",
HelpText = "Add results in bottom of tabular data.")]
public bool Calculate = false;

[Option("v", null,
HelpText = "Verbose level. Range: from 0 to 2.")]
public int VerboseLevel = 0;

[Option("i", null,
HelpText = "If file has errors don't stop processing.")]
public bool IgnoreErrors = false;

[Option("j", "jump",
HelpText = "Data processing start offset.")]
public double StartOffset = 0;

ValueList(typeof(Liststring))
public IList<string> DefinitionFiles = null;

[HelpOption(
HelpText = "Dispaly this help screen.")]
public string GetUsage()
{
HelpText help = new HelpText(Program.headingInfo);
help.Copyright = new CopyrightInfo("Giacomo Stelluti Scala", 2005, 2007);
help.AddPreOptionsLine("This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of");
help.AddPreOptionsLine("the MIT License <http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>.");
help.AddPreOptionsLine("Usage: SampleApp -rMyData.in -wMyData.out --calculate");
help.AddPreOptionsLine(string.Format(" SampleApp -rMyData.in -i -j{0} file0.def file1.def", 9.7));
help.AddOptions(this);
return help;
}
}

private static void Main(string[] args)
{
Options options = new Options();
ICommandLineParser parser = new CommandLineParser();
if (parser.ParseArguments(args, options, Console.Error))
{
Console.WriteLine("Verbose Level: {0}", (options.VerboseLevel < 0 || options.VerboseLevel > 2) ? "#invalid value#" : options.VerboseLevel.ToString());
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Reading input file: {0} ...", options.InputFile);
foreach (string defFile in options.DefinitionFiles)
Console.WriteLine(" using definition file: {0}", defFile);
Console.WriteLine(" start offset: {0}", options.StartOffset);
Console.WriteLine(" tabular data computation: {0}", options.Calculate.ToString().ToLowerInvariant());
Console.WriteLine(" on errors: {0}", options.IgnoreErrors ? "continue" : "stop processing");
Console.WriteLine();
if (options.OutputFile.Length > 0)
{
headingInfo.WriteMessage(string.Format("Writing elaborated data: {0} ...", options.OutputFile));
}
else
{
headingInfo.WriteMessage("Elaborated data:");
Console.WriteLine("...");
}
Environment.Exit(0);
}
else
{
Environment.Exit(1);
}
}
}
}

Updated Wiki: Home

gsscoder — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:59:51 GMT

Introduction

How it works?

Source or Binary?

Input Specification

User can specify options with a high degree of freedom.
This Unix-like specification survives from years and years...
However, you can read all details about it here: Input Specification.

Reason to Use

See this my old blog post of 30 June 2007.

Features

Simple API
Compatibility

.NET Framework 2.0+
Mono Profile 2.0+

Tested

Each release is tested with Mono on Linux.
Contains unit tests from first release.

Contacts

For go deeper on the usage, for bug reports and features requests:
Author's Blog
Author's E-Mail
And remember to take advantage of all greats CodePlex features.

Updated Release: 1.3.7 rc0 (Jul 22, 2008)

gsscoder — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:08:03 GMT

Updates

Added support for multi-value options.

OptionListAttribute type

Using the new OptionList attribute you can specify a command line option that can accept a list of values separated by a character.
Now you can parse a command line like this:

your-app --filename data.bin --sections 9;13;44

Simply employ the new attribute:

class YourOptions
{
[...omissis...]
 
[OptionList("s", "sections", ';')]
public IList<string> FileSections = null;
 
[...omissis...]
}

The resulting FileSections field (of type List<string>) will have three elements: '9', '13' and '44'.

Released: 1.3.7 rc0 (Jul 22, 2008)

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:08:03 GMT

Updates

Added support for multi-value options.

OptionListAttribute type

Using the new OptionList attribute you can specify a command line option that can accept a list of values separated by a character.
Now you can parse a command line like this:

your-app --filename data.bin --sections 9;13;44

Simply employ the new attribute:

class YourOptions
{
[...omissis...]
 
[OptionList("s", "sections", ';')]
public IList<string> FileSections = null;
 
[...omissis...]
}

The resulting FileSections field (of type List<string>) will have three elements: '9', '13' and '44'.

Updated Release: 1.3.3 beta (May 05, 2008)

gsscoder — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:07:36 GMT

Updates

API Reference Help File (available in source code and documentation packages) improved using Sandcastle.
Added unit-test coverage for CommandLine.Text.HeadingInfo type.
You can now specify a constraint on non-option elements handled by the parser.

ValueList Changes

The new CommandLine.ValueListAttribute type supports now the MaximumElements property.

class ParsedOptions
{
        [ValueList(typeof(List<string>), MaximumElements = 3)]
        public IList<string> FileList = null;
}

In this example the parser fail each time you specify more than 3 non-option values in the command line.
The default is -1 that means that no upper bound is fixed.
Setting MaximumElements to 0 means that you can't specify non-option values.