Console/Getopt.php

Terminology: Argument: an element of the argv array. This may be part of an option, or it may be a non-option command-line argument. Flag: the letter or word set off by a '-' or '--'. Example: in '--output filename', '--output' is the flag. Parameter: the additional argument that is associated with the option. Example: in '--output filename', the 'filename' is the parameter. Option: the combination of a flag and its parameter, if any. Example: in '--output filename', the whole thing is the option. The following features are supported: - Short flags like '-a'. Short flags are preceded by a single dash. Short flags may be clustered e.g. '-abc', which is the same as '-a' '-b' '-c'. - Long flags like '--verbose'. Long flags are preceded by a double dash. Long flags may not be clustered. - Options may have a parameter, e.g. '--output filename'. - Parameters for long flags may also be set off with an equals sign, e.g. '--output=filename'. - Parameters for long flags may be checked as string, word, or integer. - Automatic generation of a helpful usage message. - Signal end of options with '--'; subsequent arguments are treated as non-option arguments, even if they begin with '-'. - Raise exception Zend_Console_Getopt_Exception in several cases when invalid flags or parameters are given. Usage message is returned in the exception object. The format for specifying options uses a PHP associative array. The key is has the format of a list of pipe-separated flag names, followed by an optional '=' to indicate a required parameter or '-' to indicate an optional parameter. Following that, the type of parameter may be specified as 's' for string, 'w' for word, or 'i' for integer. Examples: - 'user|username|u=s' this means '--user' or '--username' or '-u' are synonyms, and the option requires a string parameter. - 'p=i' this means '-p' requires an integer parameter. No synonyms. - 'verbose|v-i' this means '--verbose' or '-v' are synonyms, and they take an optional integer parameter. - 'help|h' this means '--help' or '-h' are synonyms, and they take no parameter. The values in the associative array are strings that are used as brief descriptions of the options when printing a usage message. The simpler format for specifying options used by PHP's getopt() function is also supported. This is similar to GNU getopt and shell getopt format. Example: 'abc:' means options '-a', '-b', and '-c' are legal, and the latter requires a string parameter.