Re: [boost] Re: Using program_options with other options methods

From: Caleb Epstein (caleb.epstein_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-11-24 08:23:14

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 10:27:59 +0300, Vladimir Prus <ghost_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Ok, let me start with a caveat: ignoring unknown options can be ambiguous:
> 
>    program --something 10 --known_option
> 
> Now, is "10" a value of unknown option or positional option? To remove the
> problems all unknown options must use this form:
> 
>    --something=10
> 
> which may be problem, or may not, depending on your situation. What do you
> think?

I think it is unreasonable to expect all command lines to be specified
in this way.  If --something expects an argument, then 10 is that
argument.  If --something is a flag then its either an unknown
argument or (if you allow argument vector rearranging ala GNU getopt)
it is the first positional parameter.

Allowing unknown options to be ignored is a very desirable feature,
though it should be disabled by default.

-- 
Caleb Epstein
caleb dot epstein at gmail dot com