optparse recipe

optparse_testing.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
'''
optparse_testing.py
some recipes from http://www.alexonlinux.com/pythons-optparse-for-human-beings
'''
import optparse

parser = optparse.OptionParser()

# basics
parser.add_option('-n', '--new', help='creates a new object')
parser.add_option('-d', '--delete', help='deletes an object')
parser.add_option('-u', '--modify', help='modifies an object')

# booleans
parser.add_option('-b', help='boolean option', dest='someVar', default=False, action='store_true')

# mandatory arguments
parser.add_option('-m', help='some mandatory option', dest='man', action='store_true')
parser.add_option('-p', help='some other mandatory option', dest='pan', action='store_true')

# store arguments
parser.add_option('-M', help='store multiple args', dest='multi', action='store', metavar='<arg> <arg> <arg>', nargs=3)   # calling without nargs defaults to one


(opts, args) = parser.parse_args()

print opts.someVar

mandatories = ['man', 'pan']
for m in mandatories:
    if not opts.__dict__[m]:    # __dict__ is an attr that holds other attrs
        print 'mandatory option missing\n'
        parser.print_help()
        exit(-1)

for _arg in opts.multi:
    print _arg