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# KCmdLineArgs Class Reference

Simple access to the command-line arguments. A class for command-line argument handling. More...

`#include <kcmdlineargs.h>`

Collaboration diagram for KCmdLineArgs:

[legend]
List of all members.

## Public Member Functions

QCString | getOption (const char *option) const
| Read out a string option.
QCStringList | getOptionList (const char *option) const
| Read out all occurences of a string option.
bool | isSet (const char *option) const
| Read out a boolean option or check for the presence of string option.
int | count () const
| Read the number of arguments that aren't options (but, for example, filenames).
const char * | arg (int n) const
| Read out an argument.
KURL | url (int n) const
| Read out an argument representing a URL.
void | clear ()
| Clear all options and arguments.

## Static Public Member Functions

void | init (int _argc, char **_argv, const char *_appname, const char *_description, const char *_version, bool noKApp=false)
| Initialize class.
void | init (int _argc, char **_argv, const KAboutData *about, bool noKApp=false)
| Initialize class.
void | init (const KAboutData *about)
| Initialize Class.
void | addCmdLineOptions (const KCmdLineOptions *options, const char *name=0, const char *id=0, const char *afterId=0)
| Add options to your application.
KCmdLineArgs * | parsedArgs (const char *id=0)
| Access parsed arguments.
QString | cwd ()
| Get the CWD (Current Working Directory) associated with the current command line arguments.
const char * | appName ()
| Get the appname according to argv[0].
void | usage (const char *id=0)
| Print the usage help to stdout and exit.
void | usage (const QString &error)
| Print an error to stderr and the usage help to stdout and exit.
void | enable_i18n ()
| Enable i18n to be able to print a translated error message.
KURL | makeURL (const char *urlArg)
| Used by url().
void | setCwd (char *cwd)
| Made public for apps that don't use KCmdLineArgs To be done before makeURL, to set the current working directory in case makeURL needs it.

## Protected Member Functions

| KCmdLineArgs (const KCmdLineOptions *_options, const char *_id, const char *_name)
| Constructor.
| ~KCmdLineArgs ()
| Destructor.

## Friends

class | KApplication
class | KUniqueApplication
class | QPtrList< KCmdLineArgs >

## Detailed Description

Simple access to the command-line arguments. A class for command-line argument handling.

It takes into account Qt-specific options, KDE-specific options and application specific options.

This class is used in main() via the static method init().

A typical KDE application should look like this:

      int main(int argc, char *argv[])
      {
         // Initialize command line args
         KCmdLineArgs::init(argc, argv, appName, description, version);

         // Tell which options are supported
         KCmdLineArgs::addCmdLineOptions( options );

         // Add options from other components
         KUniqueApplication::addCmdLineOptions();

         ....

         // Create application object without passing 'argc' and 'argv' again.
         KUniqueApplication app;

         ....

         // Handle our own options/argments
         // A KApplication will usually do this in main but this is not
         // necassery.
         // A KUniqueApplication might want to handle it in newInstance().

         KCmdLineArgs *args = KCmdLineArgs::parsedArgs();

         // A binary option (on / off)
         if (args->isSet("some-option"))
            ....

         // An option which takes an additional argument
         QCString anotherOptionArg = args->getOption("another-option");

         // Arguments (e.g. files to open)
         for(int i = 0; i < args->count(); i++) // Counting start at 0!
         {
            // don't forget to convert to Unicode!
            openFile( QFile::decodeName( args->arg(i)));
            // Or more convenient:
            // openURL( args->url(i));

         }

         args->clear(); // Free up some memory.
         ....
      }

options are defined as follow

`static KCmdLineOptions options[] = { { "a", I18N_NOOP("A short binary option."), 0 }, { "b <file>", I18N_NOOP("A short option which takes an argument."), 0 }, { "c <speed>", I18N_NOOP("As above but with a default value."), "9600" }, { "option1", I18N_NOOP("A long binary option, off by default."), 0 }, { "nooption2", I18N_NOOP("A long binary option, on by default."), 0 }, { "option3 <file>", I18N_NOOP("A long option which takes an argument."), 0 }, { "option3 <speed>", I18N_NOOP("As above with 9600 as default."), "9600" }, { "d", 0, 0 }, { "option4", I18N_NOOP("A long option which has a short option as alias."), 0 }, { "e", 0, 0 }, { "nooption5", I18N_NOOP("Another long option with an alias."), 0 }, { "f", 0, 0 }, { "option6 <speed>", I18N_NOOP("'--option6 speed' is same a '-f speed'"), 0 }, { "!option7 <cmd>", I18N_NOOP("All options following this one will be treated as arguments", 0 }, { "+file", I18N_NOOP("A required argument 'file'.), 0 }, { "+[arg1]", I18N_NOOP("An optional argument 'arg1'."), 0 }, { "!+command", I18N_NOOP("A required argument 'command', that can contain multiple words, even starting with '-'.), 0 }, { 0, 0, 0 } // End of options. };`

The I18N_NOOP macro is used to indicate that these strings should be marked for translation. The actual translation is done by KCmdLineArgs. You can't use i18n() here because we are setting up a static data structure and can't do translations at compile time.

Note that a program should define the options before any arguments.

When a long option has a short option as alias. A program should only check for the long option.

With the above options a command line could look like:

         myapp -a -c 4800 --display localhost:0.0 --nooption5 -d /tmp/file

Long binary options can be in the form 'option' and 'nooption'. A command line may contain the same binary option multiple times, the last option determines the outcome:

         myapp --nooption4 --option4 --nooption4

is the same as:

         myapp --nooption4

Normally if an option value is provided multiple times only the last value is used:

         myapp -c 1200 -c 2400 -c 4800

is usually the same as:

         myapp -c 4800

However, an application can choose to use all values specified as well. E.g. to specify a number of directories to use:

         myapp -I /usr/include -I /opt/kde/include -I /usr/X11/include

When an application does this it should mention this in the description of the option. getOptionList()

Tips for end-users:

- Single char options like "-a -b -c" may be combined into "-abc"
- The option "--foo bar" may also be written "--foo=bar"
- The option "-P lp1" may also be written "-P=lp1" or "-Plp1"
- The option "--foo bar" may also be written "-foo bar"

Author:
  Waldo Bastian

Version:
  0.0.4

Definition at line 190 of file kcmdlineargs.h.

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

KCmdLineArgs::KCmdLineArgs | ( | const KCmdLineOptions * | _options,
|  | const char * | _name,
|  | const char * | _id
| ) | `[protected]`

| Constructor. The given arguments are assumed to be constants. Definition at line 913 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp. References KStdAction::name(). Referenced by addCmdLineOptions().

KCmdLineArgs::~KCmdLineArgs | ( |  | ) | `[protected]`

| Destructor. Definition at line 925 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

## Member Function Documentation

void KCmdLineArgs::init | ( | int | _argc,
|  | char ** | _argv,
|  | const char * | _appname,
|  | const char * | _description,
|  | const char * | _version,
|  | bool | noKApp = false
| ) | `[static]`

Initialize class.

This function should be called as the very first thing in your application.

Parameters:

  argc | As passed to `main`(...).
  argv | As passed to `main`(...).
  appname | The untranslated name of your application. This should match with `argv`[0].
  description | A short description of what your application is about.
  version | A version.
  noKApp | Don't add commandline options for QApplication/KApplication

Definition at line 122 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

Referenced by init().

void KCmdLineArgs::init | ( | int | _argc,
|  | char ** | _argv,
|  | const KAboutData * | about,
|  | bool | noKApp = false
| ) | `[static]`

Initialize class.

This function should be called as the very first thing in your application.

Parameters:

  argc | As passed to `main`(...).
  argv | As passed to `main`(...).
  about | A KAboutData object describing your program.
  noKApp | Don't add commandline options for QApplication / KApplication

Definition at line 146 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References KApplication::addCmdLineOptions().

void KCmdLineArgs::init | ( | const KAboutData * | about | ) | `[static]`

Initialize Class.

This function should be called as the very first thing in your application. This method is exactly the same as calling init(0,0, const KAboutData *about, true) This method will rarely be used

Parameters:

  about | the about data.

Definition at line 139 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References init().

void KCmdLineArgs::addCmdLineOptions | ( | const KCmdLineOptions * | options,
|  | const char * | name = 0,
|  | const char * | id = 0,
|  | const char * | afterId = 0
| ) | `[static]`

Add options to your application.

You must make sure that all possible options have been added before any class uses the command line arguments.

The list of options should look like this:

static KCmdLineOptions options[] = { { "option1 <argument>", I18N_NOOP("Description 1"), "default" }, { "o", 0, 0 }, { "option2", I18N_NOOP("Description 2"), 0 }, { "nooption3", I18N_NOOP("Description 3"), 0 }, { 0, 0, 0} }

- "option1" is an option that requires an additional argument
- "option2" is an option that can be turned on. The default is off.
- "option3" is an option that can be turned off. The default is on.
- "o" does not have a description. It is an alias for the option that follows. In this case "option2".
- "+file" specifies an argument. The '+' is removed. If your program doesn't specify that it can use arguments your program will abort when an argument is passed to it.

In BNF: cmd = myapp [options] file options = (option)* option = --option1 | (-o | --option2 | --nooption2) | ( --option3 | --nooption3 )

Instead of "--option3" one may also use "-option3"

Usage examples:

- "myapp --option1 test"
- "myapp" (same as "myapp --option1 default")
- "myapp --option2"
- "myapp --nooption2" (same as "myapp")
- "myapp -o" (same as "myapp --option2")
- "myapp --nooption3"
- "myapp --option3 (same as "myapp")
- "myapp --option2 --nooption2" (same as "myapp")
- "myapp /tmp/file"

Parameters:

  options | A list of options thath your code supplies.
  name | the name of the option, can be 0.
  id | A name with which these options can be identified, can be 0.
  afterId | The options are inserted after this set of options, can be 0.

Definition at line 191 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References id, KCmdLineArgs(), and KStdAction::name().

Referenced by KUniqueApplication::addCmdLineOptions(), and KApplication::addCmdLineOptions().

KCmdLineArgs * KCmdLineArgs::parsedArgs | ( | const char * | id = 0 | ) | `[static]`

Access parsed arguments.

This function returns all command line arguments that your code handles. If unknown command-line arguments are encountered the program is aborted and usage information is shown.

Parameters:

  id | The name of the options you are interested in, can be 0.

Definition at line 290 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References id.

Referenced by KApplication::dcopClient(), and KUniqueApplication::start().

QString KCmdLineArgs::cwd | ( |  | ) | `[static]`

Get the CWD (Current Working Directory) associated with the current command line arguments.

Typically this is needed in KUniqueApplication::newInstance() since the CWD of the process may be different from the CWD where the user started a second instance.

Returns:
  the current working directory

Definition at line 179 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References QFile::decodeName().

Referenced by makeURL().

const char * KCmdLineArgs::appName | ( |  | ) | `[static]`

Get the appname according to argv[0].

Returns:
  the name of the application

Definition at line 184 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

Referenced by KApplication::setTopWidget().

void KCmdLineArgs::usage | ( | const char * | id = 0 | ) | `[static]`

Print the usage help to stdout and exit.

Parameters:

  id | if 0, print all options. If id is set, only print the option specified by id. The id is the value set by #ref addCmdLineOptions().

Definition at line 729 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References arg(), QString::arg(), KCmdLineOptions::def, KCmdLineOptions::description, KStdAccel::description(), enable_i18n(), QString::fromLatin1(), id, KStdAction::name(), name, KCmdLineOptions::name, options, KAboutData::shortDescription(), QStringList::split(), and usage().

Referenced by usage().

void KCmdLineArgs::usage | ( | const QString & | error | ) | `[static]`

Print an error to stderr and the usage help to stdout and exit.

Parameters:

  the | error to print

Definition at line 714 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References QCString::left(), QString::length(), and QString::local8Bit().

void KCmdLineArgs::enable_i18n | ( |  | ) | `[static]`

| Enable i18n to be able to print a translated error message. N.B.: This function leaks memory, therefore you are expected to exit afterwards (e.g., by calling usage()). Definition at line 700 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp. References KInstance::config(), and KNotifyClient::instance(). Referenced by usage().

QCString KCmdLineArgs::getOption | ( | const char * | option | ) | const

Read out a string option.

The option must have a corresponding KCmdLineOptions entry of the form:

        { "option <argument>", I18N_NOOP("Description"), "default" }

Parameters:

  option | The name of the option without '-'.

Returns:
  The value of the option. If the option was not present on the command line the default is returned. If the option was present more than the value of the last occurence is used.

Definition at line 1034 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

Referenced by KApplication::dcopClient().

QCStringList KCmdLineArgs::getOptionList | ( | const char * | option | ) | const

Read out all occurences of a string option.

The option must have a corresponding KCmdLineOptions entry of the form:

        { "option <argument>", I18N_NOOP("Description"), "default" }

Parameters:

  option | The name of the option without '-'.

Returns:
  A list of all option values. If no option was present on the command line, an empty list is returned.

Definition at line 1066 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References QValueList< QCString >::begin(), QValueList< QCString >::end(), and QValueList< QCString >::prepend().

bool KCmdLineArgs::isSet | ( | const char * | option | ) | const

Read out a boolean option or check for the presence of string option.

Parameters:

  option | The name of the option without '-' or '-no'.

Returns:
  The value of the option. If the option was not present on the command line the default is returned. If the option is listed as 'no' the default is true. If the option is listed as '' the default is false.

If the option is listed as ' ' this function returns `true` if the option was present and `false` otherwise.

Definition at line 1096 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

Referenced by KApplication::dcopClient(), and KUniqueApplication::start().

int KCmdLineArgs::count | ( |  | ) | const

Read the number of arguments that aren't options (but, for example, filenames).

Returns:
  The number of arguments that aren't options

Definition at line 1139 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

const char * KCmdLineArgs::arg | ( | int | n | ) | const

Read out an argument.

Parameters:

  n | The argument to read. 0 is the first argument. count()-1 is the last argument.

Returns:
  A `const` `char` `*` pointer to the n'th argument.

Definition at line 1147 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

Referenced by url(), and usage().

KURL KCmdLineArgs::url | ( | int | n | ) | const

Read out an argument representing a URL.

The argument can be

- an absolute filename
- a relative filename
- a URL

Parameters:

  n | The argument to read. 0 is the first argument. count()-1 is the last argument.

Returns:
  a URL representing the n'th argument.

Definition at line 1163 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References arg(), and makeURL().

KURL KCmdLineArgs::makeURL | ( | const char * | urlArg | ) | `[static]`

Used by url().

Made public for apps that don't use KCmdLineArgs

Parameters:

  urlArgs | the argument

Returns:
  the url.

Definition at line 1168 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

References KURL::cleanPath(), cwd(), QFile::decodeName(), QString::fromLocal8Bit(), KURL::isRelativeURL(), and KURL::setPath().

Referenced by url().

void KCmdLineArgs::setCwd | ( | char * | cwd | ) | `[inline, static]`

Made public for apps that don't use KCmdLineArgs To be done before makeURL, to set the current working directory in case makeURL needs it.

Parameters:

  cwd | the new working directory

Definition at line 449 of file kcmdlineargs.h.

void KCmdLineArgs::clear | ( |  | ) |

| Clear all options and arguments. Definition at line 941 of file kcmdlineargs.cpp.

The documentation for this class was generated from the following files:

- kcmdlineargs.h
- kcmdlineargs.cpp

This file is part of the documentation for kdelibs Version 3.1.5.
Documentation copyright © 1996-2002 the KDE developers.
Generated on Wed Jan 28 12:47:18 2004 by doxygen 1.3.4 written by Dimitri van Heesch, © 1997-2001