in reply to Use Getopt::Long even if you don't think you need to

Hell yeah. And if you try hard, you too can offer this kind of simplicity, clarity and ease of use to your users (Sorry Tom:():

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RS/6000 and PowerPC Options -mcpu=cpu-type -mtune=cpu-type -mpower -mno-power -mpower2 -mno-power2 -mpowerpc -mpowerpc64 -mno-powerpc -maltivec -mno-altivec -mpowerpc-gpopt -mno-powerpc-gpopt -mpowerpc-gfxopt -mno-powerpc-gfxopt -mmfcrf -mno-mfcrf -mpopcntb -mno-popcntb -mfprnd -mno- +fprnd -mcmpb -mno-cmpb -mmfpgpr -mno-mfpgpr -mhard-dfp -mno-hard-d +fp -mnew-mnemonics -mold-mnemonics -mfull-toc -mminimal-toc -mno-fp-in-toc -mno-sum-in-toc -m64 -m32 -mxl-compat -mno-xl-compat -mpe -malign-power -malign-natural -msoft-float -mhard-float -mmultiple -mno-multiple -mstring -mno-string -mupdate -mno-update -mfused-madd -mno-fused-madd -mbit-align -mno-bit-align -mstrict-align -mno-strict-align -mrelocatable -mno-relocatable -mrelocatable-lib -mno-relocatable-lib -mtoc -mno-toc -mlittle -mlittle-endian -mbig -mbig-end +ian -mdynamic-no-pic -maltivec -mswdiv -mprioritize-restricted-insns=priority -msched-costly-dep=dependence_type -minsert-sched-nops=scheme -mcall-sysv -mcall-netbsd -maix-struct-return -msvr4-struct-return -mabi=abi-type -msecure-plt -mbss-plt -misel -mno-isel -misel=yes -misel=no -mspe -mno-spe -mspe=yes -mspe=no -mpaired -mvrsave -mno-vrsave -mmulhw -mno-mulhw -mdlmzb -mno-dlmzb -mfloat-gprs=yes -mfloat-gprs=no -mfloat-gprs=single -mfloa +t-gprs=double -mprototype -mno-prototype -msim -mmvme -mads -myellowknife -memb -msdata -msdata=opt -mvxworks -mwindiss -G num -pthread S/390 and zSeries Options -mtune=cpu-type -march=cpu-type -mhard-float -msoft-float -mlong-double-64 -mlong-double-12 +8 -mbackchain -mno-backchain -mpacked-stack -mno-packed-stac +k -msmall-exec -mno-small-exec -mmvcle -mno-mvcle -m64 -m31 -mdebug -mno-debug -mesa -mzarch -mtpf-trace -mno-tpf-trace -mfused-madd -mno-fused-madd -mwarn-framesize -mwarn-dynamicstack -mstack-size -mstack- +guard Score Options -meb -mel -mnhwloop -muls -mmac -mscore5 -mscore5u -mscore7 -mscore7d SH Options -m1 -m2 -m2e -m3 -m3e -m4-nofpu -m4-single-only -m4-single -m4 -m4a-nofpu -m4a-single-only -m4a-single -m4a -m4al -m5-64media -m5-64media-nofpu -m5-32media -m5-32media-nofpu -m5-compact -m5-compact-nofpu -mb -ml -mdalign -mrelax -mbigtable -mfmovd -mhitachi -mrenesas -mno-renesas -mnoma +csave -mieee -mbitops -misize -minline-ic_invalidate -mpadstruc +t -mspace -mprefergot -musermode -multcost=number -mdiv=strategy -mdivsi3_libfunc=name -madjust-unroll -mindexed-addressing -mgettrcost=number -mpt +-fixed -minvalid-symbols SPARC Options -mcpu=cpu-type -mtune=cpu-type -mcmodel=code-model -m32 -m64 -mapp-regs -mno-app-regs -mfaster-structs -mno-faster-structs -mfpu -mno-fpu -mhard-float -msoft-float -mhard-quad-float -msoft-quad-float -mimpure-text -mno-impure-text -mlittle-endian -mstack-bias -mno-stack-bias -munaligned-doubles -mno-unaligned-doubles -mv8plus -mno-v8plus -mvis -mno-vis -threads -pthreads -pthread SPU Options -mwarn-reloc -merror-reloc -msafe-dma -munsafe-dma -mbranch-hints -msmall-mem -mlarge-mem -mstdmain -mfixed-range=register-range System V Options -Qy -Qn -YP,paths -Ym,dir V850 Options -mlong-calls -mno-long-calls -mep -mno-ep -mprolog-function -mno-prolog-function -mspace -mtda=n -msda=n -mzda=n -mapp-regs -mno-app-regs -mdisable-callt -mno-disable-callt -mv850e1 -mv850e -mv850 -mbig-switch VAX Options -mg -mgnu -munix VxWorks Options -mrtp -non-static -Bstatic -Bdynamic -Xbind-lazy -Xbind-now x86-64 Options See i386 and x86-64 Options. Xstormy16 Options -msim Xtensa Options -mconst16 -mno-const16 -mfused-madd -mno-fused-madd -mserialize-volatile -mno-serialize-volatile -mtext-section-literals -mno-text-section-literals -mtarget-align -mno-target-align -mlongcalls -mno-longcalls zSeries Options See S/390 and zSeries Options. Code Generation Options See Options for Code Generation Conventions. -fcall-saved-reg -fcall-used-reg -ffixed-reg -fexceptions -fnon-call-exceptions -funwind-tables -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -finhibit-size-directive -finstrument-functions -finstrument-functions-exclude-function-list=sym,sym,... -finstrument-functions-exclude-file-list=file,file,... -fno-common -fno-ident -fpcc-struct-return -fpic -fPIC -fpie -fPIE -fno-jump-tables -frecord-gcc-switches -freg-struct-return -fshort-enums -fshort-double -fshort-wchar -fverbose-asm -fpack-struct[=n] -fstack-check -fstack-limit-register=reg -fstack-limit-symbol=sym -fno-stack-limit -fargument-alias -fargument-noalias -fargument-noalias-global -fargument-noalias-anything -fleading-underscore -ftls-model=model -ftrapv -fwrapv -fbounds-check -fvisibility


Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
"Too many [] have been sedated by an oppressive environment of political correctness and risk aversion."

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: Use Getopt::Long even if you don't think you need to
by almut (Canon) on May 19, 2008 at 09:59 UTC

    It's always easy to criticise (at least I sense some criticism in your post :) ... but I'm wondering what alternative user interface you would suggest if you want that functionality? Some config file, or even a GUI (*shudder*), or what else?  Not wanting to start a flame war, but I think command line options aren't that bad after all, provided they come with reasonably accessible documentation and have sensible defaults, so you'd only need a few of them anyway in most cases.

      When things get complex like that I think a config file should be an option and a GUI to help manage it might also be nice.

      But keep in mind you can always put everything into a shell script with each option on its own line (just use a backslash to continue the command on the next line). In effect the shell script then becomes a config file (albeit a weak one).

Re^2: Use Getopt::Long even if you don't think you need to
by grinder (Bishop) on May 19, 2008 at 14:34 UTC

    Mmm, and apart from a huge waste of space, your point is?

    • another intruder with the mooring in the heart of the Perl

      Command line interfaces are like bicycles.

      Simple, Economical. Lightweight; requiring little by way of supporting infrastructure or resources(*). Easy to learn, use and maintain.

      (*)Contrast with the need for gas and gas stations, and tankers and refineries et al., for motorbikes, cars, busses, trucks etc.

      But like the bicycle, every now and again there is the need to carry a little something along with you. So you think to add a saddle bag or maybe a rack and panniers. But whilst you're in the shop looking at what's available, some enthusiast suggests that these options are far too limiting and that once you have either you'll soon be needing something more.

      Of course, the trouble with that is, once you have it, there is the temptation to use it for everything until eventually someone will ask if there isn't a better way?

      And before anyone sniggers to themselves, "he just wants a GUI", is the fact that they consider that the only alternative, a limitation of my imagination, or theirs?

      Futurism, like featurism, tends to open the door to complexity and bloat. Sometimes, actually quite often, using just as much as you need now, besides keeping things simple for now, has the secondary effect of constraining future complexity by forcing the question: What do we actually need?


      Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
      "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
      In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

        So what you are trying to say is that people should hand-hack their option parsers just so they do not get into the temptation of using the command line to pull more weight than it can?

        Or if not, and your argument is a different one, then what ever relevance does it have for this thread?

        Makeshifts last the longest.

Re^2: Use Getopt::Long even if you don't think you need to
by Anonymous Monk on May 19, 2008 at 11:23 UTC
    Thats perfectly simple / clear for the target audience