Printable View
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but how do I label command line arguments? It might be called something different...but what I mean is like when I run a program like
./someprogram --arg1=yes --arg2=no or ./someprogram --help all
How do I set that up in code? I tried googling the issue, but couldn't really find anything. If someone just has a link I can go read that would be great.
Take a look at: How to access command line arguments-FAQQuote:
Originally Posted by SterlingM
I know how to USE command line arguments...but how do you make it so they are inputted with labels?
You type two dashes, an argument name, an equals sign and then what you want the value to equal. And then in your program, you use the normal C/C++ string functions to parse them. It's exactly the same process you use for non labelled arguments (using your nomenclature).
Oh so there is nothing special in the code to be done? You just check for the labels? And is there any difference between two dashes and one or is that just a preference?
It's only a matter of preference. You can make it whatever you want it. I think it has a meaning and there must be a convention around it but for all you care you could make it all single dash or all double-dash and it would change nothing. It's just text, you decide what it does.
If you're talking about a set of flags that let you identify a parameter from a word or a path... Most people use dashes on Linux and slashes on Windows. Although you will find examples of both on both OSs.Quote:
Originally Posted by SterlingM
For easy parsing, make a defined structure for your flags ... --FLAG:VALUE... /FLAG=VALUE... Inside the program they're just strings so you get to sort them out manually.
My experience has showed me that the more common standard is to use two dashes when whole words are used for parameter names, and singe dashes when a single letter is used. Many unix/linux programs do it this way, although it should be noted that GCC does not.Quote:
Originally Posted by SterlingM
If your target OS is POSIX.2 or you're using GCC, you can use the getopt library.
You could also consider Boost.Program_options, especially if Boost has already been installed.