rcj@burl.UUCP (05/26/83)
One very big problem with 'getopt', however, is its inability to handle switches with optional arguments -- I wrote an assembler that will create a 'parameter' (microcode debugging) file on request from the command line. I wanted to parse '-p' as a request for a parameter file entitled au.<infile>.p, where <infile> represents the name of the file being assembled. Then, I wanted to interpret '-p filename' as a request for a parameter file entitled 'filename'. There were about 3 other files that I wanted to do the same thing with -- default a name based on the name of the file being assembled unless the user specified his own name; in which case I would use his instead. 'getopt', however, will accept only "p" or "p:" (switch without argument or switch with argument) for parsing purposes. So I ended up using capital letter switches for those having arguments and lower case for stand-alone switches. This seems to be a reasonable standard, but now my getopt string looks like this: "bB:delL:mM:pP:" and the user is faced with a lot more crap when he tries to figure out how to use the thing. Does anyone ever think about human engineering anymore? Sigh, -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3814 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ floyd sb1 mhuxv ]!burl!rcj