Interface Argument

All Known Implementing Classes:
ArgumentImpl

public interface Argument
This interface provides a way to specify parameters to argument to be processed in ArgumentParser object.
  • Method Details

    • nargs

      Argument nargs(int n)

      Sets the number of command line arguments that should be consumed.

      Don't give this method '*', '+' or '?'. They are converted to int value and it is not what you expect. For these strings, use nargs(String).

      Parameters:
      n - A positive integer
      Returns:
      this
    • nargs

      Argument nargs(String n)

      Sets the number of command line arguments that should be consumed.

      This method takes one of following string: "*", "+" and "?". If "*" is given, All command line arguments present are gathered into a List. If "+" is given, just like "*", all command line arguments present are gathered into a List. Additionally, an error message will be generated if there wasn't at least one command line argument present. If "?" is given, one argument will be consumed from the command line if possible, and produced as a single item. If no command line argument is present, the value from setDefault(Object) will be produced. Note that for named arguments, there is an additional case - the option string is present but not followed by a command line argument. In this case the value from setConst(Object) will be produced.

      Parameters:
      n - "*", "+" or "?"
      Returns:
      this
    • setConst

      Argument setConst(Object value)

      Sets constant values that are not read from the command line but are required for the various actions.

      The const value defaults to null.

      Parameters:
      value - The const value
      Returns:
      this
    • setConst

      <E> Argument setConst(E... values)

      Sets list of constant values that are not read from the command line but are required for the various actions.

      The given values will be converted to List. The const value defaults to null. If you want to set non-List item, use setConst(Object).

      Type Parameters:
      E - The type of the values
      Parameters:
      values - The const values
      Returns:
      this
    • setDefault

      Argument setDefault(Object value)

      Sets value which should be used if the command line argument is not present.

      The default value defaults to null.

      Parameters:
      value - The default value
      Returns:
      this
    • setDefault

      <E> Argument setDefault(E... values)

      Sets list of values which should be used if the command line argument is not present.

      The default value defaults to null. The given values will be converted to List. If you want to set non-List item, use setDefault(Object).

      Type Parameters:
      E - The type of the values
      Parameters:
      values - The default values
      Returns:
      this
    • setDefault

      Argument setDefault(FeatureControl ctrl)

      Sets special value to control default value handling.

      Currently, only FeatureControl.SUPPRESS is available. If it is given, default value is not add as a attribute.

      Parameters:
      ctrl - The special value to control default value handling.
      Returns:
      this
    • type

      <T> Argument type(Class<T> type)

      Sets the type which the command line argument should be converted to.

      By default, type is String, which means no conversion is made. The type must have a constructor which takes one String argument.

      As a convenience, if one of following primitive types (boolean.class, byte.class, short.class, int.class, long.class, float.class and double.class) is specified, it is converted to its wrapped type counterpart. For example, if int.class is given, it is silently converted to Integer.class.

      Type Parameters:
      T - The type of the value this argument accepts
      Parameters:
      type - The type which the command line argument should be converted to.
      Returns:
      this
    • type

      <T> Argument type(ArgumentType<T> type)

      Sets ArgumentType object which converts command line argument to appropriate type.

      This would be useful if you need to convert the command line argument into a type which does not have a constructor with one String argument.

      Type Parameters:
      T - The type of the value this argument accepts
      Parameters:
      type - The ArgumentType object
      Returns:
      this
    • required

      Argument required(boolean required)

      If true is given, this named argument must be specified in command line otherwise error will be issued.

      The default value is false. This object is a positional argument, this property is ignored.

      Parameters:
      required - true or false
      Returns:
      this
    • action

      Argument action(ArgumentAction action)
      Sets the action to be taken when this argument is encountered at the command line.
      Parameters:
      action - ArgumentAction object
      Returns:
      this
    • choices

      Argument choices(ArgumentChoice choice)

      Sets ArgumentChoice object which inspects value so that it fulfills its criteria.

      This method is useful if more complex inspection is necessary than basic choices(Object...).

      Parameters:
      choice - ArgumentChoice object.
      Returns:
      this
    • choices

      <E> Argument choices(Collection<E> values)
      Sets a collection of the allowable values for the argument.
      Type Parameters:
      E - The type of the values
      Parameters:
      values - A collection of the allowable values
      Returns:
      this
    • choices

      <E> Argument choices(E... values)
      Sets a collection of the allowable values for the argument.
      Type Parameters:
      E - The type of the values
      Parameters:
      values - A collection of the allowable values
      Returns:
      this
    • dest

      Argument dest(String dest)

      The name of the attribute to be added.

      The default value is For positional arguments, The default value is normally supplied as the first argument to ArgumentParser.parseArgs(String[]). For named arguments, ArgumentParser generates the default value of dest by taking the first long option string and stripping away the initial -- string. If no long option strings were supplied, dest will be derived from the first short option string by stripping the initial - character. Any internal - characters will be converted to _.

      Parameters:
      dest - The name of the attribute to be added
      Returns:
      this
    • metavar

      Argument metavar(String... metavar)
      Set the name for the argument in usage messages.
      Parameters:
      metavar - The name for the argument in usage messages
      Returns:
      this
    • help

      Argument help(String help)
      Sets the brief description of what the argument does.
      Parameters:
      help - The brief description of what the argument does
      Returns:
      this
    • help

      Sets special value to control help message handling.

      Currently, only FeatureControl.SUPPRESS is available. If it is given, the help entry for this option is not displayed in the help message.

      Parameters:
      ctrl - The special value to control help message handling.
      Returns:
      this
    • textualName

      String textualName()

      Returns textual representation of the argument name.

      For named arguments, this method returns the first argument given in ArgumentContainer.addArgument(String...). For positional arguments, this method returns the flags joined with "/", e.g. -f/--foo.

      Returns:
      The textual representation of the argument name.
    • getDest

      String getDest()
      Returns dest value.
      Returns:
      The dest value
    • getConst

      Object getConst()
      Returns const value.
      Returns:
      The const value
    • getDefault

      Object getDefault()
      Returns default value.
      Returns:
      The default value
    • getDefaultControl

      FeatureControl getDefaultControl()
      Returns default control.
      Returns:
      The default control
    • getHelpControl

      FeatureControl getHelpControl()
      Returns help control.
      Returns:
      The help control