1Getopt::Simple(3pm) User Contributed Perl Documentation Getopt::Simple(3pm)
2
6 "Getopt::Simple" - Provide a simple wrapper around Getopt::Long.
7
9 use Getopt::Simple;
10 # Or ...
12 # use Getopt::Simple qw($switch);
13 my($options) =
15 {
16 help =>
17 {
18 type => '',
19 env => '-',
20 default => '',
21 # verbose => '', # Not needed on every key.
22 order => 1,
23 },
24 username =>
25 {
26 type => '=s', # As per Getopt::Long.
27 env => '$USER', # Help text.
28 default => $ENV{'USER'} || 'RonSavage', # In case $USER is undef.
29 verbose => 'Specify the username on the remote machine',
30 order => 3, # Help text sort order.
31 },
32 password =>
33 {
34 type => '=s',
35 env => '-',
36 default => 'password',
37 verbose => 'Specify the password on the remote machine',
38 order => 4,
39 },
40 };
41 my($option) = Getopt::Simple -> new();
43 if (! $option -> getOptions($options, "Usage: testSimple.pl [options]") )
45 {
46 exit(-1); # Failure.
47 }
48 print "username: $$option{'switch'}{'username'}. \n";
50 print "password: $$option{'switch'}{'password'}. \n";
51 # Or, after 'use Getopt::Simple qw($switch);' ...
53 # print "username: $$switch{'username'}. \n";
54 # print "password: $$switch{'password'}. \n";
55
57 "Getopt::Simple" is a pure Perl module.
58 The "Getopt::Simple" module provides a simple way of specifying:
60 • Command line switches
62 • Type information for switch values
64 • Default values for the switches
66 • Help text per switch
68
70 This module is available both as a Unix-style distro (*.tgz) and an
71 ActiveState-style distro (*.ppd). The latter is shipped in a *.zip
72 file.
73 See http://savage.net.au/Perl-modules.html for details.
75 See http://savage.net.au/Perl-modules/html/installing-a-module.html for
77 help on unpacking and installing each type of distro.
78
80 new(...) returns a "Getopt::Simple" object.
81 This is the class's contructor.
83 Usage: Getopt::Simple -> new().
85 This method does not take any parameters.
87
89 dumpOptions() prints all your option's keys and their current values.
90 dumpOptions() does not return anything.
92
94 The getOptions() function takes 4 parameters:
95 • A hash ref defining the command line switches
97 The structure of this hash ref is defined in the next section.
99 This parameter is mandatory.
101 • A string to display as a help text heading
103 This parameter is mandatory.
105 • A Boolean. 0 = (Default) Use case-sensitive switch names. 1 =
107 Ignore case
108 This parameter is optional.
110 • A Boolean. 0 = Return after displaying help. 1 = (Default)
112 Terminate with exit(0) after displaying help
113 This parameter is optional.
115 getOptions() returns 0 for failure and 1 for success.
117
119 • Each key in the hash ref is the name of a command line switch
120 • Each key points to a hash ref which defines the nature of that
122 command line switch
123 The keys and values of this nested hash ref are as follows.
125 • default => 'Some value'
127 This key, value pair is mandatory.
129 This is the default value for this switch.
131 Examples:
133 default => '/users/home/dir'
135 default => $ENV{'REMOTEHOST'} || '127.0.0.1'
136 • env => '-' || 'Some short help text'
138 This key, value pair is mandatory.
140 This is help test, to indicate that the calling program can use
142 an environment variable to set the default value of this
143 switch.
144 Use '-' to indicate that no environment variable is used.
146 Examples:
148 env => '-'
150 env => '$REMOTEHOST'
151 Note the use of ' to indicate we want the $ to appear in the
153 output.
154 • type => 'Types as per Getopt::Long'
156 This key, value pair is mandatory.
158 This is the type of the command line switch, as defined by
160 Getopt::Long.
161 Examples:
163 type => '=s'
165 type => '=s@',
166 • verbose => 'Some long help text'
168 This key, value pair is optional.
170 This is long, explanatory help text which is displayed below
172 the help containing the three columns of text: switch name, env
173 value, default value.
174 Examples:
176 verbose => 'Specify the username on the remote machine',
178 verbose => 'Specify the home directory on the remote machine'
179 • order => \d+
181 This key, value pair is mandatory.
183 This is the sort order used to force the help text to display
185 the switches in a specific order down the page.
186 Examples:
188 order => 1
190 order => 9
191
193 helpOptions() prints nicely formatted help text.
194 helpOptions() does not return anything.
196
198 Command line option values are accessed in your code by dereferencing
199 the hash reference $$classRef{'switch'}. Two examples are given above,
200 under synopsis.
201 Alternately, you can use the hash reference $switch. See below.
203
205 Command line option values are accessed in your code by dereferencing
206 the hash reference $switch. Two examples are given above, under
207 synopsis.
208 Alternately, you can use the hash reference $$classRef{'switch'}. See
210 above.
211
213 As always, be aware that these 2 lines mean the same thing, sometimes:
214 • $self -> {'thing'}
216 • $self->{'thing'}
218 The problem is the spaces around the ->. Inside double quotes, "...",
220 the first space stops the dereference taking place. Outside double
221 quotes the scanner correctly associates the $self token with the
222 {'thing'} token.
223 I regard this as a bug.
225
227 "Getopt::Simple" was written by Ron Savage <ron@savage.net.au> in 1997.
228
230 Australian copyright (c) 1997-2002 Ron Savage.
231 All Programs of mine are 'OSI Certified Open Source Software';
233 you can redistribute them and/or modify them under the terms of
234 The Artistic License, a copy of which is available at:
235 http://www.opensource.org/licenses/index.html
236perl v5.38.0 2023-07-20 Getopt::Simple(3pm)