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@ -21,7 +21,17 @@
<html>
<body>
<table>
<tr>
<td align="left">
<h1>tclap -- Templatized C++ Command Line Parser Library </h1>
</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://sourceforge.net">
<img src="http://sourceforge.net/sflogo.php?group_id=76645&amp;type=4"
width="125" height="37" border="0" alt="SourceForge.net Logo" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
This is a small library that provides a simple interface for defining
and accessing command line arguments. It was intially inspired by the
user friendly <a href="http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/~cgproj/CLAP/">CLAP</a>
@ -34,9 +44,10 @@ my interpretation of what most argument situations are.
<ul>
<li> See the <a href="manual.html"><b>manual</b></a> for how things work.</li>
<li> See the <a href="html/index.html"><b>API</b></a> documentation for detailed
implementation.</li>
<li><a href="download.html"><b>Download</b></a> the source here.
<li>Send any feeback, comments, patches, etc. to <a href="mailto:mes5k@virginia.edu"><b>Mike.</b></a></li>
implementation information.</li>
<li>Visit the <a href="http://sourceforge.net">Sourceforge</a> project <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/tclap/">page</a>.
<li><a href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/tclap/"><b>Download</b></a> the source here.</li>
<li>Send any feeback, comments, patches, etc. to mes (_at_) aescon (_dot_) com.</li>
</ul>
Happy coding!
</body>

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@ -21,19 +21,28 @@
<html>
<body>
<h2>C++ Command Line Parser Examples</h2>
<table><tr><td align="left">
<h1>Templatized C++ Command Line Parser Examples</h1>
</td><td align="right">
<A href="http://sourceforge.net"> <IMG
src="http://sourceforge.net/sflogo.php?group_id=76645&amp;type=4"
width="125" height="37" border="0" alt="SourceForge.net Logo">
</A>
</td></tr></table>
<h2>Basic usage</h2>
There are a few key classes to be aware of. The first is the <b>CmdLine</b>
or command line class. This is the class that parses that command line
or command line class. This is the class that parses the command line
passed to it according to the arguments that it contains. Arguments are
separate objects that are added to <b>CmdLine</b> object one at a time. There
are three types of arguments, <b>ValueArg</b>, <b>SwitchArg</b> and
<b>MultiArg</b>. Once the arguments are added to the command line object,
are five types of arguments, <b>ValueArg</b>, <b>UnlabeledValueArg</b>,
<b>SwitchArg</b>, <b>MultiArg</b> and <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b>.
Once the arguments are added to the command line object,
the command line is parsed which assigns the data on the command line to
the specific arguments. The values are accessed by calls to the getValue()
methods of the argument objects.
the specific argument objects. The values are accessed by calls to
the <i>getValue()</i> methods of the argument objects.
<br> <br>
Here is a simple <a href="../tests/test1.cpp">example</a> ...
Here is a simple <a href="test1.cpp">example</a> ...
<br> <br>
<pre>
#include < string >
@ -50,7 +59,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
CmdLine cmd(argv[0], "Command description message", "0.9");
// Define a value argument and add it to the command line.
ValueArg<string> nameArg("n","name","Name to print",true,"homer");
ValueArg < string > nameArg("n","name","Name to print",true,"homer",
"nameString");
cmd.add( nameArg );
// Define a switch and add it to the command line.
@ -99,23 +109,34 @@ PARSE ERROR: for argument: undefined
USAGE:
tester [-u] -n name [-v] [-h]
test1 [-u] -n < nameString > [--] [-v] [-h]
Where:
[-u] = Print in upper case
-n name = Name to print
[-v] = displays version information and exits
[-h] = displays usage information and exits
-u, --upperCase
Print in upper case
-n < nameString >, --name < nameString >
(required) (value required) Name to print
--, --ignore_rest
Ignores the rest of the labeled arguments following this flag.
-v, --version
Displays version information and exits.
-h, --help
Displays usage information and exits.
Command description message
</pre>
<br><br><br>
This example shows a number of different properties of the library...
<ul>
<li>Arguments can appear in any order (...mostly, <a href="manual.html#COMPLICATIONS">more</a> on this later).</li>
<li>The version and help arguments are specified automatically.</li>
<li>The version, help and -- arguments are specified automatically.</li>
<li>If a required argument isn't provided, the program exits and displays
the USAGE, along with an error message.</li>
</ul>
@ -123,49 +144,114 @@ the USAGE, along with an error message.</li>
Arguments, whatever their type, have a few common basic properties. First
is the flag or the character preceeded by a dash(-) that signals the beginning
of the argument. Arguments also have names, which can, if desired also be
used as a flag on the command line, this time preceeded by two dashes (--).
Next is the description of the argument. This is displayed in the help/usage
used as a flag on the command line, this time preceeded by two dashes (--)
[like the familiar getopt_long()].
Next is the description of the argument. This is a short description of
the argument displayed in the help/usage
message when needed. The boolean value in <b>ValueArg</b>s indicates
whether the argument is required to be present (<b>SwitchArg</b>s can't
be required, as that would defeat the purpose). Finally, is the default
value the arg should assume if the arg isn't required or entered on the
command line.
be required, as that would defeat the purpose). Next, the default
value the arg should assume if the arg isn't required or entered on the
command line. Last, for <b>ValueArg</b>s is a short description of the type
that the argument expects (yes its an ugly
<a href="manual.html#DESCRIPTION_EXCEPTIONS">hack</a>).
<br><br>
<b>SwitchArg</b>s are what the name implies, simple on/off, boolean switches.
Use <b>SwitchArg</b>s anytime you want to turn some sort of system property
on or off.
on or off. Note that multiple <b>SwitchArg</b>s can be combined into a single
argument on the command line. If you have switches -a, -b and -c it is
valid to do either:
<br><br>
<pre>
% command -a -b -c
</pre>
<br><br>
<i>or</i>
<br><br>
<pre>
% command -abc
</pre>
<br><br>
This is to make this library more in line with the POSIX and GNU standards (as
I understand them).
<br><br>
<b>ValueArg</b>s are arguments that read a value of some type from the
command line. Note that the order of arguments (so far) don't matter. Any
argument not matching an <b>*Arg</b> added to the command line will cause
an exception to be thrown.
command line. Note that the order of arguments on the command line(so far)
doesn't matter. Any
argument not matching an <b>Arg</b> added to the command line will cause
an exception to be thrown
(<a href="manual.html#COMPLICATIONS">for the most part</a>, with some
<a href="manual.html#EXCEPTIONS">exceptions</a>).
<br> <br>
Note in the output of the USAGE above, that there are two arguments that
Note in the output of the USAGE above, that there are three arguments that
were not explicitly specified by the user in the code.
These are the <i>help</i>
and <i>version</i> <b>SwitchArg</b>s. Using either the <i>-h</i> or
and <i>version</i> and <i>--</i> <b>SwitchArg</b>s. Using either the
<i>-h</i> or
<i>--help</i> flag will cause the USAGE message to be displayed
and <i>-v</i> or <i>--version</i> will cause
any version information to be displayed. These switches are included
any version information to be displayed and <i>--</i> or <i>--ignore_rest</i>
will cause the remaining labeled arguments to be ingored.
These switches are included
automatically on every command line. Currently there is no way to turn this
off, but thats kind of the point. More <a href="manual.html#VISITORS">later</a> on how we get this to work.
off, but then, thats kind of the point.
More <a href="manual.html#VISITORS">later</a> on how we get this to work.
<a name="COMPLICATIONS"></a>
<h2>Complications</h2>
Naturally, what we have seen to this point doesn't satisfy all of our needs.
<h3>I tried passing multiple values on the command line with the same flag and it didn't work...</h3>
Correct. You can neither specify mulitple <b>ValueArg</b>s or
<b>SwitchArg</b>s with the same flag in the code nor on the command line.
Exceptions will occur in either case. For <b>SwitchArg</b>s it simply doesn't
make sense to allow a particular flag to be turned on or off repeatedly on
the command
line. All you should ever need is to set your state <i>once</i> by specifying
the flag or not (<a href="manual.html#EXCEPTIONS">yeah but...</a>).
<br><br>
However, there <i>are</i> situations where you might want
multiple values for the same flag to be specified. Imagine a compiler that
allows you to specify multiple directories to search for libraries...
<br> <br>
<pre>
% fooCompiler -L /dir/num1 -L /dir/num2 file.foo
</pre>
<br> <br>
In situations like this, you will want to use a <b>MultiArg</b>. A
<b>MultiArg</b> is essentially a <b>ValueArg</b> that appends any value
that it matches and parses onto a vector of values. When the <i>getValue()</i>
method id called, a vector of values, instead of a single value is returned.
A <b>MultiArg</b> is declared much like a <b>ValueArg</b>:
<br><br>
<pre>
...
MultiArg < int > itest("i", "intTest", "multi int test", false,"int" );
cmd.add( itest );
...
</pre>
<br><br>
Note that <b>MultiArg</b>s can be added to the <b>CmdLine</b> in any
order (unlike <a href="manual.html#UNLABELED_MULTI_ARG">UnlabeledMultiArg</a>s).
<h3>But I don't like labelling all of my arguments... </h3>
To this point all of our arguments have had labels indentifying them, but
To this point all of our arguments have had labels (flags) indentifying them
on the command line, but
there are some situations where flags are burdensome and not worth the effort.
One example might be if you want to implement a magical command, we'll call
One example might be if you want to implement a magical command we'll call
<i>copy</i>. All <i>copy</i> does is copy the file specified in the first
argument to file specified in the second argument. We can do this using
<b>ValueArg</b>s that don't have a flag specified, which tells the
argument to the file specified in the second argument. We can do this using
<b>UnlabeledValueArg</b>s which are pretty much just <b>ValueArg</b>s without
the flag specified, which tells the
<b>CmdLine</b> object to treat them accordingly. The code would look like
this:
<br><br>
<pre>
...
ValueArg<float> nolabel( "name", "unlabeled test", 3.14 );
UnlabeledValueArg < float > nolabel( "name", "unlabeled test", 3.14,
"nameString" );
cmd.add( nolabel );
...
@ -173,15 +259,19 @@ this:
<br><br>
Everything else is handled identically to what is seen above. The only
difference to be aware of, and this is important: <b>the order that
unlabeled ValueArgs are added to the CmdLine is the order that
UnlabeledValueArgs are added to the <i>CmdLine</i> is the order that
they will be parsed!!!!</b> This is <i>not</i> the case for normal
<b>SwitchArg</b>s and <b>ValueArg</b>s. What happens internally is the
first argument that the CmdLine doesn't recognize is assumed to be the
first unlabeled <b>ValueArg</b> and parses it as such. Note that you
are allowed to intersperse labeled args in between unlabeled args (either
on the command line or in the declaration), but the unlabeled args will
still be parsed in the order they are added. Just remember that order
is important.
first argument that the <b>CmdLine</b> doesn't recognize is assumed to be the
first <b>UnlabeledValueArg</b> and parses it as such. Note that you
are allowed to intersperse labeled args (SwitchArgs and ValueArgs) in
between <b>UnlabeledValueArgs</b> (either
on the command line or in the declaration), but the <b>UnlabeledValueArgs</b>
will still be parsed in the order they are added. Just remember that order
is important for unlabeled arguments.
<a name="UNLABELED_MULTI_ARG"></a>
<h3>But I want an arbitrary number of arguments to be accepted...</h3>
Don't worry, we've got you covered. Say you want a strange command that
searches each file specified for a given string (lets call it <i>grep</i>),
@ -201,13 +291,14 @@ like:
</pre>
<br><br>
To handle situations where multiple, unlabled arguments are needed, we
provide the <b>MultiArg</b>. <b>MultiArg</b>s are declared much like
provide the <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b>. <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b>s are declared
much like
everything else, but with only a description of the arguments. By default,
if a <b>MultiArg</b> is specified, then at least one is required to be
present or an exception will be thrown. The most important thing to remember
is, that like <b>unlabeled ValueArg</b>s order matters, in fact: <b>a
MultiArg must be the <i>last</i> argument added to the CmdLine!</b>. Here is
what it looks like:
if an <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b> is specified, then at least one is required
to be present or an exception will be thrown. The most important thing to
remember is, that like <b>UnlabeledValueArg</b>s: order matters! In fact, <b>an
UnlabeledMultiArg must be the <i>last</i> argument added to the CmdLine!</b>.
Here is what a declaration looks like:
<br> <br> <br> <br>
<pre>
...
@ -215,21 +306,24 @@ what it looks like:
//
// MultiArg must be the LAST argument added!
//
MultiArg<string> multi("file names");
UnlabeledMultiArg < string > multi("file names");
cmd.add( multi );
cmd.parse(argc, argv);
vector<string> fileNames = multi.getValue();
vector < string > fileNames = multi.getValue();
...
</pre>
<br> <br> <br> <br>
You must only ever specify one (1) <b>MultiArg</b>. One <b>MultiArg</b> will
read every unlabeled Arg that wasn't already processed by a <b>ValueArg</b>
into a <i>vector</i> of type T. When you call the getValue() method of the
argument, a <i>vector</i> will be returned. If you can imagine a
You must only ever specify one (1) <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b>.
One <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b> will
read every unlabeled Arg that wasn't already processed by a
<b>UnlabeledValueArg</b>
into a <i>vector</i> of type T. When you call the <i>getValue()</i> method
of the argument, a <i>vector</i> will be returned. If you can imagine a
situation where there will be multiple args of multiple types (stings, ints,
floats, etc.) then just declare the <b>MultiArg</b> as type <i>string</i>
floats, etc.) then just declare the <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b> as type
<i>string</i>
and parse the different values yourself.
<a name="VISITORS"></a>
@ -239,29 +333,27 @@ to provide special handling for default arguments. Nothing that Visitors
do couldn't be accomplished by the user after the command line has been parsed.
If you're still interested, keep reading...
<br><br>
Some of you may be wondering how we get the <i>--help</i> and <i>--version</i>
Some of you may be wondering how we get the <i>--help</i>, <i>--version</i>
and <i>--</i>
arguments to do their thing without mucking up the <b>CmdLine</b> code
with lots of <i>if</i> statements and type checking. This is accomplished
by using a variation on the Visitor Pattern. Actually, it may not be a Visitor
Pattern at all, but thats what inspired me.
<br> <br>
If we want some argument to do some sort of special handling, besides simply
parsing a value, then we add a <b>Visitor</b> pointer to the <b>*Arg</b>.
parsing a value, then we add a <b>Visitor</b> pointer to the <b>Arg</b>.
More specifically, we add a <i>subclass</i> of the <b>Visitor</b> class.
Once the argument has been successfully parsed, the <b>Visitor</b> for
that argument is called.
Any data that needs to be operated on is declared in the <b>Visitor</b>
constructor and then operated on in the <i>visit()</i> method. A
<b>Visitor</b> is added to an <b>*Arg</b> as the last argument in its
<b>Visitor</b> is added to an <b>Arg</b> as the last argument in its
declaration. This may sound complicated, but its pretty straightforward.
Lets see an example.
<br><br>
<br><br>
Say you want to add an <i>--authors</i> flag to a program that prints the
names of the authors when present. First subclass <b>Visitor</b>:
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br> <br>
<pre>
#include "Visitor.h"
#include < string >
@ -284,7 +376,7 @@ pointer as follows:
<pre>
...
SwitchArg author("-a","author","Prints author name", false,
SwitchArg author("a","author","Prints author name", false,
new AuthorVisitor("Homer J. Simpson");
cmd.add( author );
@ -294,7 +386,39 @@ pointer as follows:
<br><br>
Now, any time the <i>-a</i> or <i>--author</i> flag is specified, the
program will print the author name, Homer J. Simpson and exit without
processing any further.
processing any further (as specified in the <i>visit()</i> method.
<a name="EXCEPTIONS"></a>
<h2>Exceptions</h2>
Like all good rules, there are many exceptions....
<h3>Ignoring arguments...</h3>
The <i>--</i> flag is automatically included in the <b>CmdLine</b>. As (almost)
per POSIX and GNU standards, any argument specified after the <i>--</i> flag
is ignored. <i>Almost</i> because if an <b>UnlabeledValueArg</b> that has
not been set or an <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b> has been specified, by default
we will assign any arguments beyond the <i>--</i> to the those arguments
as per the rules above. This is primarily useful if you want to pass in
arguments with a dash as the first character of the argument. It should be
noted that even if the <i>--</i> flag is passed on the command line,
the <b>CmdLine</b> will <i>still</i> test to make sure all of the required
arguments are present.
<br><br>
Of course, this isn't how POSIX/GNU handle things, they explicitly
ignore arguments after the <i>--</i>. To accomodate this, we can make both
<b>UnlabeledValueArg</b>s and <b>UnlabeledMultiArg</b>s ignoreable in
their constructors. See
the <a href="html/index.html">API Documentation</a> for details.
<h3>Multiple Identical Switches</h3>
If you absolutely must allow for multiple, identical switches to be allowed,
don't use a <b>SwitchArg</b>, instead use a <b>MultiArg</b> of type
<i>bool</i>. This means you'll need to specify
a 1 or 0 on the command line with the switch (as values are required), but
this should allow you to turn your favorite switch on and off to your hearts
content.
<a name="DESCRIPTION_EXCEPTIONS"></a>
<h3>Type Descriptions</h3>
Ideally this library would use RTTI to return a human readable name of the
type declared for a particular argument. Unfortunately, at least for g++,
the names returned aren't particularly useful.
<h2>More Information</h2>
For more information, look at
the <a href="html/index.html">API Documentation</a>