python_wiki:argument_parser [Owlbear Consulting

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====== Argument Parser ======

**General Information**

Create Python scripts that use short and long arguments. 

**Checklist**
  * Import argparse

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====== Usage ======

Pass the "-h" or "--help" to view the built arguments
<code bash>
program-name.py -h
</code>

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====== The Code ======

<code python program-name.py>
#!/usr/bin/python
#=======================
# Import Modules
#=======================
# argparse: Command line arguments
import argparse

#=======================
# Get Script Arguments
#=======================
# Build argument parser information
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Put a good program description here.")
parser.add_argument("-n","--name", help="This is your name.", required=True)
parser.add_argument("-e","--email", help="Email results.", action="store_true", required=False)
parser.add_argument("-t","--test", help="Do not make changes; perform a test and output details of what would happen.", action="store_true", required=False)
args = vars(parser.parse_args())

# If testing, we don't actually want to do anything
if args['test'] == True:
  print("-->> Test run...no modifications will be made <<--")


#- Using stored variables from arguments -#

# Since name is required, program will not run without providing it
print("Your name is: " + args['name'])

if args['email'] == True:
  print("Emailing results...")
else:
  print("Will NOT email results.")
</code>

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