Simple Bash options parser, no shit.
Bash Opts expects you to define a list of options, and then call opts_eval
with an array of arguments to parse (usually "$@"). It will then match the
given arguments against the defined options, and define variables ready for
you to be used.
E.g. the following lines will output Bash Opts:
opts --name=
opts_eval "--name='Bash Opts'"
echo $nameAny remaining arguments that do not match your options cannot start with a dash
(protecting against typos and wrong option definitions), and will be collected
in an array variable args, also for you to be used.
E.g. this will output foo bar:
opts --name=
opts_eval "foo" "bar" "--name='Bash Opts'"
echo ${args[@]}More detailed usage example (see ./examples/readme.sh):
#!/bin/bash
opts --[d]ebug --[n]ame= --[f]iles[]=
opts_eval "$@"
echo "debug: $debug"
echo "name: $name"
echo "files: ${files[@]}"
echo "args: ${args[@]}"Call with:
$ bash examples/readme.sh arg-1 arg-2 -d --name="Bash Opts" -f=path/to/foo.sh -f=path/to/bar.sh
# or: bash examples/readme.sh arg-1 -d -n "Bash Opts" -f path/to/foo.sh -f path/to/bar.sh arg-2
# or: bash examples/readme.sh --debug arg-1 --name="Bash Opts" arg-2 --file=path/to/foo.sh --file=path/to/bar.sh
# or: bash examples/readme.sh --debug --name "Bash Opts" arg-1 --file path/to/foo.sh arg-2 --file path/to/bar.sh
debug: true
name: Bash Opts
files: path/to/foo.sh path/to/bar.sh
args: arg-1 arg-2Options need to be defined as long names, as in --debug.
Short names can be defined by enclosing contained characters in square brackes,
e.g. --[d]ebug. It is not possible to define a short name without also
defining a long name, or to define a short name with characters that are not
contained in the long name.
There are three types of options:
Flags, e.g. --debug, do not take a value.
A flag is defined as just --debug. When evaluated it always sets its
corresponding variable to either true or false (as strings). I.e. the
condition [[ $debug == true ]] will match when --debug was evaluated.
Plain variables, e.g. --name=, expect a value.
A variable is defined by terminating the name with an equal sign =. Variables
match a single passed argument with an equal sign separating name and value
(e.g. --name="Bash Options"), or two passed arguments when the name does not
end with an equal sign (e.g. --name "Bash Options").
Arrays, e.g. --files[]=, expect a value, too, and can be passed several times.
An Array option will result in an array variable with the same plural name. They match one or many arguments with their singular name.
E.g. --file 1.sh --file 2.sh will evalute to an array variable files which
contains two strings 1.sh and 2.sh.
Arguments that do not match any of the defined options, and that do not begin
with a dash -, will end up in an array variable args.
Such arguments can be given at any position between valid options. However,
obviously, they must not sit between a variable option and its corresponding
value argument when using the syntax without an equal sign (as in --name foo).
Anything separated with -- will end up in the args array as well:
opts_eval "foo" "bar" "--" "baz"
echo "args: ${args[@]}"
=> foo bar baz
The helper function opt echoes a string to pass an option with the same value
as defined at this moment. This is handy for passing options through one
command or function to another.
opts --debug
opts_eval "--debug"
opt debug
# => --debug
opts --debug
opts_eval ""
opt debug
# =>
opts --name=
opts_eval "--name=foo"
opt name
# => --name="foo"
opts --name=
opts_eval ""
opt name
# => --name=""
opts --paths[]=
opts_eval "--path=./foo --path=./bar"
opt paths
# => --path="./foo" --path="./bar"
opts --paths[]=
opts_eval ""
opt paths
# =>