Jim Freeze <j...@freeze.org>

CommandLine-0.7.10
==================
Author: Jim Freeze

WHAT
====
This is a quick update to CommandLine. The following changes were
made to OptionData and Application:
- Changed #opt to return @option_data
- OptionData objects now can respond to methods as well as []

Basically, this lets you access option data with a method call
as well as #[]. Since method names cannot start with a dash,
some may like this and some may not. I am curious about your opinions.

DOCS
====
        http://rubyforge.org/docman/view.php/632/233/posted-docs.index.html

ABOUT
=====
CommandLine is a library that greatly simplifies the repetitive
process of building a command line user interface for your
applications. It's 'ruby-like' usage style streamlines application
development so that even applications with numerous configuration
options can be quickly put together. CommandLine automatically builds
friendly usage and help screens that are nicely formatted for the
user. No longer is starting an application a pain where you have to
copy boiler plate code (or a previous application) and retype
repetitive code to get an application started

EXAMPLE
=======

  % cat app.rb
  #---------------------------------------------------
  #!/usr/bin/env ruby

  require 'rubygems'
  require 'commandline'

  class App < CommandLine::Application

    def initialize
      version           "0.0.1"
      author            "Author Name"
      copyright         "Copyright (c) 2005, Jim Freeze"
      short_description "A simple app example that takes two arguments."
      long_description  "This app is a simple application example that "+
                        "supports three options and two commandline "+
                        "arguments."

      option :debug, :arity => [0,1],
                                 :arg_description => "debug_level",
             :opt_description => "Set debug level from 0 to 9.",
                                 :opt_found => get_args
      option :version, :help

      expected_args :param_file, :out_file
    end

    def main
                #... code here
    end
  end#class App
  #---------------------------------------------------

  % app.rb -h
  NAME

      app.rb - A simple app example that takes two arguments.

  DESCRIPTION

      This app is a simple application example that supports three
      options and two commandline arguments.

  OPTIONS

      --debug,-d debug_level
          Set debug level from 0 to 9.

      --version,-v
          Displays application version.

      --help,-h
          Displays help page.

  AUTHOR:  Author Name
  Copyright (c) 2005, Jim Freeze

TESTS
=====
Tests: 82
Assertions: 319

DOWNLOAD & INSTALLATION
=======================

Homepage:      http://rubyforge.org/projects/optionparser/
Documentation: http://rubyforge.org/docman/view.php/632/232/posted-docs.index.html
Download:      http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=632&release_id=2345

Dependencies:
* None

Currently CommandLine is only available as a rubygem.

Via RubyGems
  $ gem install -r commandline

All feedback is appreciated!

Installations not yet available
===============================
# not in RPA yet
Via RPA
  $ rpa install commandline

# this either
The do-it-yourself way
  $ ruby setup.rb config
  $ ruby setup.rb setup
  $ ruby setup.rb install

# nor this
The simplified do-it-yourself way
  $ rake install

RELEASE NOTES
=============
== 0.7.10 11/06/2005
- Changed opt() to return @option_data
- OptionData objects now can respond to methods as well as []

== 0.7.9  11/05/2005
=== Additions
- Renamed gem to lowercase commandline
- Added replay command options
- Added CommandLine::Application_wo_AutoRun - no auto run set thru at_exit
- Added documentation for CommandLine::Application - instead of just README
- Changed :arg_arity to :arity in Option
- Add :required for use with :opt_found
- Added args accessor for @args - suggested by Esteban Manchado Velázquez
- Added opt() accessor for @option_data[]

HISTORY
=======
After poking around in a few corporations, it was evident that
option parsing was not well understood. Therefore, many inhouse
tools were built that did not conform to any of the POSIX, Gnu or XTools
option styles. CommandLine::OptionParser was developed so that
new applications could be written that conformed to accepted standards,
but non-standard option configurations could be handled as well
to support legacy interfaces.

Once the option parsing was written, there was a need to streamline
the repetitive tasks in setting up an application. The original
boilerplate was simple, but after taking a few cues from
rails, a significant amount of functionality was added to
Application that make it a very useful tool yet simple to use.

More information and usage scenarios on OptionParser can be found at:
    http://rubyforge.org/projects/optionparser/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
================
This library contains code from:
* Austin Ziegler - Text::Format
* Ara - open4.rb - obtained from codeforthepeople
--

--
Jim Freeze