CommandLineParser

Introduction

• CommandLineParser library adds the user defined command line options which accepts the short command,long command,short description,long description and a default value.

• This library parses the command line options and gives the corresponding value of a particular command.

• The CommandLine Parser Library supports custom help functionality.

• The command line Options can be of the following forms :-

   --long_command=value
   --long_command value
   -short_command=value
   -short_command value
   -short_command (flag)
   --long_command (flag)

Example

Register a command say port.

obj.Addoptions("p", "port", "enter the port numbers", "port number must be of 4 digits",1234);

In CommandPrompt.

SampleApp.exe --port=3241 4258

Result.

The value for port : 3248 4244

Usage

Include the library header file.

#include "Parser.h"   

Make an object of the class cmdParser::Parser.

cmdParser::Parser obj;

Register the options.

Syntax:-

AddOptions(std::string short_command, std::string long_command,std::String short description, std::string long description, T default_value);	

Example:-

obj.AddOptions("cp", "copy", "copies files ", "copies contents of file 1 to file 2. ", std::string("abc.txt"));
	
obj.AddOptions("", "port", "port number ", "enter four digits port number.",4528);

Parse the command line input.

Syntax:-

Parse(int argc, char**argv);

Example:-

obj.Parse(argc, argv);

Get the return value for a command.

Syntax:-

std::vector<T>GetValue(const std:string &);

Example:-

auto val_=obj.GetValue<int>("port");

Installation

For Windows

Part-A Requirements

• CMake v3.9.1
• Visual Studio Community 2017 or any previous version.
• Git for Windows or any git client (Optional).

Part-B Building cmd_lib

[1]. Setting some of the required variables.

Set a directory for building the library.

set cmd_lib_BUILD_DIR=C:\commandlineparser

Set the configuration of the build.

set CONFIG=Release

[2]. Download library in the build directory.

Create a build directory.

mkdir %cmd_lib_BUILD_DIR%

Clone the repository.

cd  %cmd_lib_BUILD_DIR%
git clone  https://github.com/inbangsa/CommandLine.git

[3]. Build Library.

cmake -Ax64 -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="%cmd_lib_BUILD_DIR%\install" -L ..
cmake --build . --clean-first --config %CONFIG% --target install   

[4]. For using in other projects/library.

cmake -Ax64 -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="%cmd_lib_BUILD_DIR%\install" -L ..
cmake --build . --clean-first --config %CONFIG% --target install  

This library has cmake build system which supports the find_package() functionality .

Help Feature

This library has three help menus which are described below:-

• Default Help:- shows the complete help menu which incorporates short command, long command , short description and long decription .This can be invoked by using <executable_name>.<extension_name> . (Example:- SampleApp.exe)

• Short Help:- Shows the help menu with short command, long command and short description. This can be invoked by -h flag.

• Long Help:- Shows the help menu with short command, long command and long description . This can be invoked by --help flag .

Exceptions

• This library doesnot support the default value of type const char *. User may convert it to std::string .

• Any usage of unregistered command options results in error.

• Explicit instantiation of GetValue() function is a must.

• All the exceptions gives error defined using what, which can be printed to see the error.

TODO

• Passing initializer list or vector as default value.

• Support const char * as data type for user defined options.

• GTest (Unit Testing)