Command line arguments in Python

command_line_args.py

## just a file to try out command line parsing
import argparse
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()

parser.add_argument('url', help="Enter portal url of the form: \
                                      https://portalname.domain.com/webadaptor")

#Create optional args by prefixing it with --
#Create short names for same by prefixing it with -
#Specify default values using 'default' argument
parser.add_argument('-u','--username', help="Enter admin username", default='admin')
parser.add_argument('-p','--password', help="Enter admin password")

#Argparase treats all inputs as strings, so specify int as type for numerical inputs
parser.add_argument('-n','--num_users', help="Enter number of users", type=int)

#Create bool parameters by specifying 'action'
parser.add_argument('-b','--publish', help="Publish content for each user", action='store_true')

# Perform action
args = parser.parse_args()
print("Signing into : " + args.url)
print("Signing in using: " + args.username + " into " + args.url)

if args.num_users:
    print("Creating {} users".format(str(args.num_users)))

if args.publish:
    print("Publishing content for users")

output.txt

""" =============================== output =======================================
E:\code\tools>python command_line_args.py
usage: command_line_args.py [-h] [-u USERNAME] [-p PASSWORD] [-n NUM_USERS]
                            [-b]
                            url
command_line_args.py: error: the following arguments are required: url
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E:\code\geosaurus\geosaurus_scripts\tools>python command_line_args.py -h
usage: command_line_args.py [-h] [-u USERNAME] [-p PASSWORD] [-n NUM_USERS]
                            [-b]
                            url

positional arguments:
  url                   Enter portal url of the form:
                        https://portalname.domain.com/webadaptor

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -u USERNAME, --username USERNAME
                        Enter admin username
  -p PASSWORD, --password PASSWORD
                        Enter admin password
  -n NUM_USERS, --num_users NUM_USERS
                        Enter number of users
  -b, --publish         Publish content for each user

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E:\code\>python command_line_args.py http://ags.com -u admin -p passw -n 10 -b
Signing into : http://ags.com
Signing in using: admin into http://ags.com
Creating 10 users
Publishing content for users

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E:\code\>python command_line_args.py http://ags.com -u admin3 -p passw
Signing into : http://ags.com
Signing in using: admin3 into http://ags.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E:\code\>python command_line_args.py http://ags.com
Signing into : http://ags.com
Signing in using: admin into http://ags.com
"""