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javaapache-commons-cli

Apache Commons CLI - print trailing args in help output

I'm using Apache Commons CLI 1.2 to parse a command line that takes options and extra arguments at the end. Ex: mycmd -d DIR extra stuff

I know how to get 'extra' and 'stuff' using CommandLine.getArgs(), but I don't know how to display those extra arguments in my help output. When I make a call like this:

new HelpFormatter().printHelp("mycmd", opts, true);

I get output like:

usage: mycmd -d DIR

without the extra arguments. Could someone point me in the right direction?

Solution

  • As far as I can tell the only way to display those extra arguments would be to not print the automatically generated usage statement and instead print a custom usage statement like this: 

    new HelpFormatter().printHelp("mycmd -d <DIR> extra stuff", opts);

    or this 

    new HelpFormatter().printHelp("mycmd [options] extra stuff", opts);

    or however you want to format your usage statement.