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[WIP] [Console] Added Console arguments documentation #3744

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84 changes: 84 additions & 0 deletions components/console/console_arguments.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
.. index::
single: Console; Console arguments

Understand how Console Arguments are Handled
============================================

It can be difficult to understand the way arguments are handled by the console application.
The Symfony Console application, like many other CLI utility tools, follows the behavior
described in the `docopt`_ standards.
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The Symfony Console application, like many other CLI utility tools, follows the behavior [...]


Let's see a complete example on how the arguments are understood by Console application,
regarding to the Console Options or Arguments defined in the application::

namespace Acme\Console\Command;

use Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputArgument;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputOption;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Output\OutputInterface;

class DemoArgsCommand extends Command
{
protected function configure()
{
$this
->setName('demo:args')
->setDescription('Describe args behaviors')
->setDefinition(
new InputDefinition(array(
new InputOption('foo', 'f'),
new InputOption('bar', 'br', InputOption::VALUE_REQUIRED),
new InputOption('baz', 'bz', InputOption::VALUE_OPTIONAL)
)
)
;
}

protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
{
// ...
}
}

Let's take a look to the values results for differents inputs:

==================== =========================================
Input Values
==================== =========================================
--bar=Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
--bar Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-br=Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-br Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-brHello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-fbzWorld -br Hello foo = true, bar = "Hello", baz = "World"
-bzfWorld -br Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello", baz ="fWorld"
-bzbrWorld foo = false, bz = "brWorld", baz = null
==================== =========================================


Now, assume there is also an optional argument in the input definition::

new InputDefinition(array(
// ...
new InputArgument('arg', InputArgument::OPTIONAL),
));

========================== ========================================
Input Values
========================== ========================================
--bar Hello bar = "Hello", arg = null
--bar Hello World bar = "Hello", arg = "World"
--bar Hello --baz World bar = "Hello", baz = "World", arg = null
--bar Hello --baz -- World bar = "Hello", baz = null, arg = "World"
-b Hello -bz World bar = "Hello", baz = "World", arg = null
========================== ========================================

The fourth example shows the special ``--`` seperator which -as you can read
in docopt- seperates the options from the arguments. By that, ``World`` is
no longer interpreted as a value of the ``baz`` option (which has an optional value),
but as the value for the argument.

.. _docopt: http://docopt.org/

1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions components/console/index.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ Console
introduction
usage
single_command_tool
console_arguments
events
helpers/index
3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion components/console/introduction.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ declare a one-letter shortcut that you can call with a single dash like
.. tip::

It is also possible to make an option *optionally* accept a value (so that
``--yell`` or ``--yell=loud`` work). Options can also be configured to
``--yell`` or ``--yell=loud`` or ``--yell loud`` work). Options can also be configured to
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I don't think that this does always work. If the value for the --yell option is optional loud would be treated as an argument, won't it?

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no, it will be treated as the value being provided

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It does : symfony/symfony#10603 (comment)

It's a little bit weird indeed.

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Weird. But if it is intended.

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The behaviour is following the docopt standards.

Assume the following InputDefinition:

new InputDefinition(array(
    new InputOption('foo', 'f'),
    new InputOption('bar', 'b', InputOption::VALUE_REQUIRED),
    new InputOption('cat', 'c', InputOption::VALUE_OPTIONAL),
));

The behaviour is:

Input Values
--bar=Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
--bar Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-b Hello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-b=Hello foo = false, bar = "=Hello"
-bHello foo = false, bar = "Hello"
-fbHello foo = true, bar = "Hello"
-fcHello -b World foo = true, bar = "World", cat = "Hello"
-cfHello -b World foo = false, bar = "World", cat = "fHello"
-cbHello cat = "bHello", bar = null

Now, assume there is also an optional argument in the input definition:

new InputDefinition(array(
    // ...
    new InputArgument('qux', InputArgument::OPTIONAL),
));

The behaviour now:

Input Values
--bar Hello bar = "Hello", qux = null
--bar Hello World bar = "Hello", qux = "World"
--bar Hello --cat World bar = "Hello", cat = "World", qux = null
--bar Hello --cat -- World bar = "Hello", cat = null, qux = "World"
-b Hello -c World bar = "Hello", cat = "World", qux = null

The fourth example shows the special -- seperator which -as you can read in docopt- seperates the options from the arguments. By that, World is no longer interpreted as a value of the cat option (which has an optional value), but as the value for the argument.

accept an array of values.

For example, add a new option to the command that can be used to specify
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -492,6 +492,7 @@ Learn More!
* :doc:`/components/console/usage`
* :doc:`/components/console/single_command_tool`
* :doc:`/components/console/events`
* :doc:`/components/console/console_arguments`

.. _Packagist: https://packagist.org/packages/symfony/console
.. _ANSICON: https://github.com/adoxa/ansicon/releases
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion components/console/single_command_tool.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
.. index::
single: Console; Single command application
single: Console; Single command application

Building a Single Command Application
=====================================
Expand Down