ArgsParser

Easy argument parsing for .Net Core applications.

Available as a nuget package.

Example usage

var parser = new ArgsParser.ArgsParser(args[0])
    .SupportsOption<int>("port", "Port to start the dev server on", 1337)
    .RequiresOption<string>("read", "Folder to read the site from", "site")
    .RequiresOption<string>("write", "Folder to write the result to")
    .HasFlag("serve", "Start the site going in a dev server")
    .HasFlag("force", "Overwrite any destination content")
    .Help();

parser.Parse();

Console.Log($"Errors: {parser.Errors.Count}");
Console.Log($"  Port: {parser.GetOption<int>("port")}");  // method 1 returns as the type
Console.Log($"  Port: {parser.ParsedOptions["port"]}")    // method 2 returns as an object

Example autogenerated help info (.Help())

Required options come first, then optional options, then flags. Each of those three blocks is further sorted alphabetically.

-read  <value>   Folder to read the site from (required)
-write <value>   Folder to write the result to (required)
-port  <value>   Port to start the dev server on

-force           Overwrite any destination content
-serve           Start the site going in a dev server

Example input

mycommand -run data "Site Title" --serve -ignore -port 3000

Example errors from the above

Errors are keyed by either the name of the option/flag if there is an issue with that specific one, or by "N/A" for things like unexpected (and therefore orphaned) values.

if (parser.HasErrors)
    foreach (var key in parser.Errors.Keys)
        parser.Errors[key].ForEach(x => Console.WriteLine($"{key} => {x}"));

This gives:

ignore => Unknown flag: ignore
N/A => Unexpected value: Site Title
read => Option missing: read
run => Unknown option: run
write => Option missing: write

In addition:

• parser.ParsedFlags will contain two entries, "serve" and "ignore"
• parser.ParsedOptions["run"] will contain "data" (string)
• parser.ParsedOptions["port"] will contain 3000 (int)
  • As will parser.GetOption<int>("port")

Supported

• Display help showing supported flags/options
• Required named option/values
• Optional named option/values
• Optional named flags
• Parsing generates simple collections
  • A collection of all provided options (keys and their typed values)
  • A collection of all provided flags (array of named)
• Provides a collection of error messages
  • Missing required options
  • Unknown flags or options
  • Values not attached to options
• Option types support any IConvertable, including int, bool, DateTime
• Accepts either - or -- prefixes

Copyright K Cartlidge 2020. Licensed as GNU AGPLv3.

See the CHANGELOG for current status.