Package org.apache.commons.cli

Class Option

  • All Implemented Interfaces:
    java.io.Serializable, java.lang.Cloneable
    public class Option
extends java.lang.Object
implements java.lang.Cloneable, java.io.Serializable
    Describes a single command-line option. It maintains information regarding the short-name of the option, the long-name, if any exists, a flag indicating if an argument is required for this option, and a self-documenting description of the option.

    An Option is not created independently, but is created through an instance of Options. An Option is required to have at least a short or a long-name.

    Note: once an Option has been added to an instance of Options, its required flag cannot be changed.

    See Also:
    Options, CommandLine, Serialized Form

    • Nested Class Summary

      Nested Classes 
      Modifier and Type Class Description
      static class  Option.Builder
      Builds Option instances using descriptive methods.

    • Field Summary

      Fields 
      Modifier and Type Field Description
      static int UNINITIALIZED
      Specifies the number of argument values has not been specified.
      static int UNLIMITED_VALUES
      Specifies the number of argument values is infinite.

    • Constructor Summary

      Constructors 
      Constructor Description
      Option​(java.lang.String option, boolean hasArg, java.lang.String description)
      Creates an Option using the specified parameters.
      Option​(java.lang.String option, java.lang.String description)
      Creates an Option using the specified parameters.
      Option​(java.lang.String option, java.lang.String longOption, boolean hasArg, java.lang.String description)
      Creates an Option using the specified parameters.

    • Method Summary

      All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods Deprecated Methods 
      Modifier and Type Method Description
      boolean addValue​(java.lang.String value)
      Deprecated.
      Unused.
      static Option.Builder builder()
      Returns a Option.Builder to create an Option using descriptive methods.
      static Option.Builder builder​(java.lang.String option)
      Returns a Option.Builder to create an Option using descriptive methods.
      java.lang.Object clone()
      A rather odd clone method - due to incorrect code in 1.0 it is public and in 1.1 rather than throwing a CloneNotSupportedException it throws a RuntimeException so as to maintain backwards compatible at the API level.
      boolean equals​(java.lang.Object obj)  
      java.lang.String getArgName()
      Gets the display name for the argument value.
      int getArgs()
      Gets the number of argument values this Option can take.
      Converter<?,​?> getConverter()
      Gets the value to type converter.
      DeprecatedAttributes getDeprecated()
      Gets deprecated attributes if any.
      java.lang.String getDescription()
      Gets the self-documenting description of this Option.
      int getId()
      Gets the id of this Option.
      java.lang.String getKey()
      Gets the 'unique' Option identifier.
      java.lang.String getLongOpt()
      Gets the long name of this Option.
      java.lang.String getOpt()
      Gets the name of this Option.
      java.lang.String getSince()
      Gets the version when this option was added.
      java.lang.Object getType()
      Gets the type of this Option.
      java.lang.String getValue()
      Gets the specified value of this Option or null if there is no value.
      java.lang.String getValue​(int index)
      Gets the specified value of this Option or null if there is no value.
      java.lang.String getValue​(java.lang.String defaultValue)
      Gets the value/first value of this Option or the defaultValue if there is no value.
      java.lang.String[] getValues()
      Gets the values of this Option as a String array or an empty array if there are no values.
      char getValueSeparator()
      Gets the value separator character.
      java.util.List<java.lang.String> getValuesList()
      Gets the values of this Option as a List.
      boolean hasArg()
      Tests whether this Option requires an argument.
      boolean hasArgName()
      Tests whether the display name for the argument value has been set.
      boolean hasArgs()
      Tests whether this Option can take many values.
      int hashCode()  
      boolean hasLongOpt()
      Tests whether this Option has a long name.
      boolean hasOptionalArg()
      Tests whether this Option can have an optional argument.
      boolean hasValueSeparator()
      Tests whether this Option has specified a value separator.
      boolean isDeprecated()
      Tests whether this Option is deprecated.
      boolean isRequired()
      Tests whether this Option is required.
      void setArgName​(java.lang.String argName)
      Sets the display name for the argument value.
      void setArgs​(int num)
      Sets the number of argument values this Option can take.
      void setConverter​(Converter<?,​?> converter)
      Sets the value to type converter.
      void setDescription​(java.lang.String description)
      Sets the self-documenting description of this Option.
      void setLongOpt​(java.lang.String longOpt)
      Sets the long name of this Option.
      void setOptionalArg​(boolean optionalArg)
      Sets whether this Option can have an optional argument.
      void setRequired​(boolean required)
      Sets whether this Option is mandatory.
      void setType​(java.lang.Class<?> type)
      Sets the type of this Option.
      void setType​(java.lang.Object type)
      Deprecated.
      since 1.3, use setType(Class) instead.
      void setValueSeparator​(char valueSeparator)
      Sets the value separator.
      java.lang.String toString()
      Creates a String suitable for debugging.

      • Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

        finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

    • Constructor Detail

      • Option

        public Option​(java.lang.String option,
              boolean hasArg,
              java.lang.String description)
       throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
        Creates an Option using the specified parameters.
        Parameters:
        option - short representation of the option.
        hasArg - specifies whether the Option takes an argument or not.
        description - describes the function of the option.
        Throws:
        java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if there are any non valid Option characters in opt.

      • Option

        public Option​(java.lang.String option,
              java.lang.String description)
       throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
        Creates an Option using the specified parameters. The option does not take an argument.
        Parameters:
        option - short representation of the option.
        description - describes the function of the option.
        Throws:
        java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if there are any non valid Option characters in opt.

      • Option

        public Option​(java.lang.String option,
              java.lang.String longOption,
              boolean hasArg,
              java.lang.String description)
       throws java.lang.IllegalArgumentException
        Creates an Option using the specified parameters.
        Parameters:
        option - short representation of the option.
        longOption - the long representation of the option.
        hasArg - specifies whether the Option takes an argument or not.
        description - describes the function of the option.
        Throws:
        java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if there are any non valid Option characters in opt.

    • Method Detail

      • builder

        public static Option.Builder builder​(java.lang.String option)
        Returns a Option.Builder to create an Option using descriptive methods.
        Parameters:
        option - short representation of the option.
        Returns:
        a new Option.Builder instance.
        Throws:
        java.lang.IllegalArgumentException - if there are any non valid Option characters in opt.
        Since:
        1.3

      • addValue

        @Deprecated
public boolean addValue​(java.lang.String value)
        Deprecated.
        Unused.
        This method is not intended to be used. It was a piece of internal API that was made public in 1.0. It currently throws an UnsupportedOperationException.
        Parameters:
        value - the value to add.
        Returns:
        always throws an UnsupportedOperationException.
        Throws:
        java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException - always.

      • clone

        public java.lang.Object clone()
        A rather odd clone method - due to incorrect code in 1.0 it is public and in 1.1 rather than throwing a CloneNotSupportedException it throws a RuntimeException so as to maintain backwards compatible at the API level. After calling this method, it is very likely you will want to call clearValues().
        Overrides:
        clone in class java.lang.Object
        Returns:
        a clone of this Option instance.
        Throws:
        java.lang.RuntimeException - if a CloneNotSupportedException has been thrown by super.clone().

      • equals

        public boolean equals​(java.lang.Object obj)
        Overrides:
        equals in class java.lang.Object

      • getArgName

        public java.lang.String getArgName()
        Gets the display name for the argument value.
        Returns:
        the display name for the argument value.

      • getArgs

        public int getArgs()
        Gets the number of argument values this Option can take.

        A value equal to the constant UNINITIALIZED (= -1) indicates the number of arguments has not been specified. A value equal to the constant UNLIMITED_VALUES (= -2) indicates that this options takes an unlimited amount of values.

        Returns:
        num the number of argument values.
        See Also:
        UNINITIALIZED, UNLIMITED_VALUES

      • getConverter

        public Converter<?,​?> getConverter()
        Gets the value to type converter.
        Returns:
        the value to type converter.
        Since:
        1.7.0

      • getDescription

        public java.lang.String getDescription()
        Gets the self-documenting description of this Option.
        Returns:
        The string description of this option.

      • getId

        public int getId()
        Gets the id of this Option. This is only set when the Option shortOpt is a single character. This is used for switch statements.
        Returns:
        the id of this Option.

      • getKey

        public java.lang.String getKey()
        Gets the 'unique' Option identifier. This is the option value if set or the long value if the options value is not set.
        Returns:
        the 'unique' Option identifier.
        Since:
        1.7.0

      • getLongOpt

        public java.lang.String getLongOpt()
        Gets the long name of this Option.
        Returns:
        Long name of this option, or null, if there is no long name.

      • getSince

        public java.lang.String getSince()
        Gets the version when this option was added.
        Returns:
        the version when this option was added, or null if not set.

      • getType

        public java.lang.Object getType()
        Gets the type of this Option.
        Returns:
        The type of this option.

      • getValue

        public java.lang.String getValue()
        Gets the specified value of this Option or null if there is no value.
        Returns:
        the value/first value of this Option or null if there is no value.

      • getValue

        public java.lang.String getValue​(int index)
                          throws java.lang.IndexOutOfBoundsException
        Gets the specified value of this Option or null if there is no value.
        Parameters:
        index - The index of the value to be returned.
        Returns:
        the specified value of this Option or null if there is no value.
        Throws:
        java.lang.IndexOutOfBoundsException - if index is less than 1 or greater than the number of the values for this Option.

      • getValue

        public java.lang.String getValue​(java.lang.String defaultValue)
        Gets the value/first value of this Option or the defaultValue if there is no value.
        Parameters:
        defaultValue - The value to be returned if there is no value.
        Returns:
        the value/first value of this Option or the defaultValue if there are no values.

      • getValues

        public java.lang.String[] getValues()
        Gets the values of this Option as a String array or an empty array if there are no values.
        Returns:
        the values of this Option as a String array or an empty array if there are no values.

      • getValueSeparator

        public char getValueSeparator()
        Gets the value separator character.
        Returns:
        the value separator character.

      • getValuesList

        public java.util.List<java.lang.String> getValuesList()
        Gets the values of this Option as a List. Will return an empty list if there are no values.
        Returns:
        the values of this Option as a List or an empty List if there are no values.

      • hasArg

        public boolean hasArg()
        Tests whether this Option requires an argument.
        Returns:
        boolean flag indicating if an argument is required.

      • hasArgName

        public boolean hasArgName()
        Tests whether the display name for the argument value has been set.
        Returns:
        if the display name for the argument value has been set.

      • hasArgs

        public boolean hasArgs()
        Tests whether this Option can take many values.
        Returns:
        boolean flag indicating if multiple values are allowed.

      • hashCode

        public int hashCode()
        Overrides:
        hashCode in class java.lang.Object

      • hasLongOpt

        public boolean hasLongOpt()
        Tests whether this Option has a long name.
        Returns:
        boolean flag indicating existence of a long name.

      • hasOptionalArg

        public boolean hasOptionalArg()
        Tests whether this Option can have an optional argument.
        Returns:
        whether this Option can have an optional argument.

      • hasValueSeparator

        public boolean hasValueSeparator()
        Tests whether this Option has specified a value separator.
        Returns:
        whether this Option has specified a value separator.
        Since:
        1.1

      • isDeprecated

        public boolean isDeprecated()
        Tests whether this Option is deprecated.
        Returns:
        boolean flag indicating whether this Option is deprecated.
        Since:
        1.7.0

      • isRequired

        public boolean isRequired()
        Tests whether this Option is required.
        Returns:
        boolean flag indicating whether this Option is required.

      • setArgName

        public void setArgName​(java.lang.String argName)
        Sets the display name for the argument value.
        Parameters:
        argName - the display name for the argument value.

      • setArgs

        public void setArgs​(int num)
        Sets the number of argument values this Option can take.
        Parameters:
        num - the number of argument values.

      • setConverter

        public void setConverter​(Converter<?,​?> converter)
        Sets the value to type converter.
        Parameters:
        converter - The converter to convert the string value to the type.
        Since:
        1.7.0

      • setDescription

        public void setDescription​(java.lang.String description)
        Sets the self-documenting description of this Option.
        Parameters:
        description - The description of this option.
        Since:
        1.1

      • setLongOpt

        public void setLongOpt​(java.lang.String longOpt)
        Sets the long name of this Option.
        Parameters:
        longOpt - the long name of this Option.

      • setOptionalArg

        public void setOptionalArg​(boolean optionalArg)
        Sets whether this Option can have an optional argument.
        Parameters:
        optionalArg - specifies whether the Option can have an optional argument.

      • setRequired

        public void setRequired​(boolean required)
        Sets whether this Option is mandatory.
        Parameters:
        required - specifies whether this Option is mandatory.

      • setType

        public void setType​(java.lang.Class<?> type)
        Sets the type of this Option.
        Parameters:
        type - the type of this Option.
        Since:
        1.3

      • setType

        @Deprecated
public void setType​(java.lang.Object type)
        Deprecated.
        since 1.3, use setType(Class) instead.
        Sets the type of this Option.

        Note: this method is kept for binary compatibility and the input type is supposed to be a Class object.

        Parameters:
        type - the type of this Option.

      • setValueSeparator

        public void setValueSeparator​(char valueSeparator)
        Sets the value separator. For example if the argument value was a Java property, the value separator would be '='.
        Parameters:
        valueSeparator - The value separator.

      • toString

        public java.lang.String toString()
        Creates a String suitable for debugging.
        Overrides:
        toString in class java.lang.Object
        Returns:
        a String suitable for debugging.