CLIArgumentsParser

Library to easily manage and parse CLI arguments

To install it, use proper command:

dotnet add package CliArgumentParser

For more details about download, see NuGet Web Site

Other Builds

• Branch 1.2:

Main Features

---

• define a model of usage for your CLI applications
• Automatic parse and validation of your arguments against the defined model
• Add examples of usage
• Print automatic helper on CLI usage

How to define an Usage Model

To define you model, create a class inheriting from CliCommand one.

 class ScanCommand : CliCommand
 {
    public ScanCommand() : base("scan", "Scan the target folder tree")
    {}
 }

Remember to:

• define the method SetDefaultValues to fill proper option dictionary
• define the properties of command, with decorators (see the paragraph)
• define examples

Option Definition

All properties you add should map an option of the verb, such:

    [Option(OPT_FOLDER, "Root folder to scan", isMandatory: true)]
    public string Folder
    {
            get { return this.GetArgumentValue<ScanCommand, string>(x => x.Folder); }
            set { this.AddOrUpdateArgument<ScanCommand, string>(x => x.Folder, value); }
    }

Then, remember to parse the string argument:

public override void ParseArgument(string[] tokens)
        {
            // take the expecetd value
            if (tokens.Length == 1)
            {
                throw new NotImplementedException();
            }
            else
            {
                // validate option
                switch (tokens[0])
                {
                    case OPT_FOLDER:
                    case OPT_FILENAME_SEARCH_PATTERN:
                    case OPT_FILECONTENT_SEARCH_PATTERN:
                        this.UpdateArgumentValue(tokens[0], tokens[1]);
                        break;

                    case OPT_TO:
                        this.PersistedTo = tokens[1].Trim().ToUpperInvariant();
                        break;

                    default:
                        throw new WrongOptionUsageException(this.Verb, tokens[0]);
                }
            }
        }

Option with Domain Values

to set up an option with predefined values, you have to decorate it as follow:

        [Option(OPT_DOMAIN, "Domain", isMandatory: true, domain: new string[]{"VAL1", "VAL2", "VAL3"})]
        public string Domain
        {
            get { return this.GetArgumentValue<TestWithLookupValue, string>(x => x.Domain); }
            set { this.AddOrUpdateArgument<TestWithLookupValue, string>(x => x.Domain, value); }
        }

Boolean Option

to use boolean options, use the following approach.

Define the option as boolean

        [Option(OPT_VERBOSE, "Verbosity Level", isMandatory: true)]
        public bool IsVerbose
        {
            get { return this.GetBooleanArgumentValue<TestWithFlagCommand, bool>(x => x.IsVerbose); }
            set { this.AddOrUpdateArgument<TestWithFlagCommand, bool>(x => x.IsVerbose, value); }
        }

Set defaults

        public override void SetDefaultValues()
        {
            base.SetDefaultValues();

            this.IsVerbose = false;
        }

Parse the arguments

        public override void ParseArgument(string[] tokens)
        {
            // validate option
            switch (tokens[0])
            {
                case OPT_VERBOSE:
                    this.IsVerbose = true;
                    break;

                default:
                    throw new WrongOptionUsageException(this.Verb, tokens[0]);
            }
        }

Notice that you must to process also specific tokens made by unique command; for more information see tests.

How to define examples

Each command shold contain a list of example, to understand how to use it. So far, you have to complete the abstract method:

        public override List<CliCommandExample> Examples()
        {
            return new List<CliCommandExample>()
            {
                new CliCommandExample("Scan the target folder to search *.csproj Files, containing the text \"NugetPackages\" and save a CSV files with output",
                                        ScanCommand.AsExampleFor(@"C:\Temp\MyFolder", ".csproj", @"\NugetPackages\", "CSV"))
            };
        }

Usage

the usage is very simple:

// Set up the factory of command
var factory = new CommandFactory().RegisterCommand<ScanCommand>("scan");

// parse the argument and run the callback if properly set
int exitResult = factory.InstanceFromFactory()
                                .UsingDefaultErrorManagement()
                                .ParseTheseArguments(args)
                                .CaseWhen<ScanCommand>(x => ExploreTheTree(x))
                                .Return();
                                
// return the proper exit value               
Environment.Exit(exitResult);