Argparse: what is the difference between "sys.argv[1]" and "args.input"?

Question

I'm learning how to use argparse and it's a labyrinth for me.

I have a code that works: if I run python Test.py . it prints all files in hierarchy using this code

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

import os
import argparse
import sys
import glob

#parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()                             
#parser.add_argument('-input', dest='input',help="input one or more files",nargs='+',metavar=None                           
#args = parser.parse_args()

def dirlist(path, c = 1):

        for i in glob.glob(os.path.join(path, "*")):
                if os.path.isfile(i):
                        filepath, filename = os.path.split(i)
                        print ('----' *c + filename)

                elif os.path.isdir(i):
                        dirname = os.path.basename(i)
                        print ('----' *c + dirname)
                        c+=1
                        dirlist(i,c)
                        c-=1


#path = os.path.normpath(args.input)
path = os.path.normpath(sys.argv[1])
print(os.path.basename(path))
dirlist(path)

But, as I want to understand how argparse works I want to run the code using python Test.py - input .

But nothing works.

I know I'm close, I have written a sort of Frankenstein code which is commented.

Where am I wrong? I feel I'm so close to the solution...

Answer 1

Thank you @match for the right tips. Problem was I was using nargs='+' in the argparse definition

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

import os
import argparse
import sys
import glob

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()                              
parser.add_argument('-input', dest='input',help="input one or more files",metavar=None)                     
args = parser.parse_args()

def dirlist(path, c = 1):

        for i in glob.glob(os.path.join(path, "*")):
                if os.path.isfile(i):
                        filepath, filename = os.path.split(i)
                        print ('----' *c + filename)

                elif os.path.isdir(i):
                        dirname = os.path.basename(i)
                        print ('----' *c + dirname)
                        c+=1
                        dirlist(i,c)
                        c-=1


path = os.path.normpath(args.input)
print(os.path.basename(path))
dirlist(path)

The code works now!