getopt.net - A GNU getopt port to .net

This repository contains the code for my port of the GNU getopt functionality found on most Unix-like systems.

getopt.net is written entirely in C# and is a "cleanroom port"; although not necessary it made the project that much more fun :)

Installation

There are several methods of installing and using getopt.net in your project.

Add the repository as a submodule, checkout a tag and include it as a project reference in your solution
Use the NuGet package manager: install-package getopt.net-bsd Note the -bsd ending which shows the license used and not system requirements! getopt.net was already in use :c

NuGet page

Features

Full support for getopt-like command-line options:

--long-opts
--long-opts=with_options
--long-opts with_options
-ShortOpTs
-ShortsWithOpTi0n5
-s with_opts

The standard getopt shortopt-string format is supported:

getopt.ShortOpts = "abC:dE:f:GhIjkLmnop:q:r:";

Customisation is available with long opts:

getopt.Options = new[] {
    new Option { Name = "help", ArgumentType = ArgumentType.None, Flag = IntPtr.Zero, Value = 'h' },
    new Option("config", ArgumentType.Required, IntPtr.Zero, 'c'),
    new Option("version", ArgumentType.Optional, IntPtr.Zero, 'v')
};

Fallback to long opts (if available!)

Most developers will have experienced this at some point when using getopt; you added an option to your long opts, but forgot it in your shortopt string. getopt.net improves this behaviour and will check the Options array to see if the option you've provided is there.

Customisable behaviour

getopt.net can be configured to not throw exceptions if that's your thing. Just set the IgnoreXXX options to true, and getopt.net will ignore bad user input!

If IgnoreInvalidOptions is enabled, entering an unknown option won't throw an exception, but instead a ! will be returned. If IgnoreMissingArguments is enabled, forgetting to add a required argument won't thow an exception either! Instead, ? will be returned.

The exceptions do contain more info, however.

Usage:

At the time of writing this, I have not figured out all the details of using the library! Anything written here, until noted otherwise, is subject to change!

Things that don't work

I forgot to implement the whole "provide a flag pointer" functionality. I'll do that later; it needs unsafe code anyway, so it'll have to be in its own little method.

Basic usage

using getopt.net;

static void Main(string[] args) {

    var getopt = new Getopt {
        Options = new[] {
            new Option("help",    ArgumentType.None, IntPtr.Zero, 'h'),
            new Option("version", ArgumentType.None, IntPtr.Zero, 'v'),
            // or, alternatively
            new Option { Name = "config", ArgumentType.Required, IntPtr.Zero, 'c' }
        },
        ShortOpts = "hvc:",
        DoubleDashStopsParsing = true, // optional
        AppArgs = args, // REQUIRED
        OnlyShortOpts = false,
        // other options here
    };

    int opt = 0;
    // GetNextOpt may throw exceptions, depending on your settings!
    while ((opt = getopt.GetNextOpt(out var optArg)) != -1) {
        switch (opt) {
            case 'h':
                // print help or something
                break;
            //
        }
    }
}

Bugs and errors

If you encounter a bug, please add a GitHub Issue and/or create a fork of the project and create a pull request.

DaleStan/getopt.net