A Typescript wrapper around command-line-args with additional support for markdown usage guide generation
npm install ts-command-line-args > A Typescript wrapper around command-line-args with additional support for markdown usage guide generation
!npm
!NPM
!Typescript
* Converts command line arguments:
``bash`
$ myExampleCli --sourcePath=pathOne --targetPath=pathTwo
`
into strongly typed objects:
typescript`
{ sourcePath: "pathOne", targetPath: "pathTwo"}
* Support for optional values, multiple values, aliases
* Prints a useful error message and exits the process if required arguments are missing:
$ myExampleCli
Required parameter 'sourcePath' was not passed. Please provide a value by running 'myExampleCli --sourcePath=passedValue'
Required parameter 'targetPath' was not passed. Please provide a value by running 'myExampleCli --targetPath=passedValue'
To view the help guide run 'myExampleCli -h'
* Supports printing usage guides to the console with a help argument:
`
$ myExampleCli -h
My Example CLI
Thanks for using Our Awesome Library
Options
--sourcePath string
--targetPath string
-h, --help Prints this usage guide
`
* Supports writing the same usage guide to markdown (see Markdown Generation section below, generated by )
Take a typescript interface (or type or class):
`typescript`
interface ICopyFilesArguments{
sourcePath: string;
targetPath: string;
copyFiles: boolean;
resetPermissions: boolean;
filter?: string;
excludePaths?: string[];
}
and use this to enforce the correct generation of options for command-line-args:
`typescript
import { parse } from 'ts-command-line-args';
// args typed as ICopyFilesArguments
export const args = parse
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: String,
copyFiles: { type: Boolean, alias: 'c' },
resetPermissions: Boolean,
filter: { type: String, optional: true },
excludePaths: { type: String, multiple: true, optional: true },
});
`
With the above setup these commands will all work
`bash`
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath=source --targetPath=target
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath source --targetPath target --copyFiles
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath source --targetPath target -c
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath source --targetPath target --filter src --excludePaths=one --excludePaths=two
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath source --targetPath target --filter src --excludePaths one two
command-line-usage support is included:
`typescript
import { parse } from 'ts-command-line-args';
interface ICopyFilesArguments {
sourcePath: string;
targetPath: string;
copyFiles: boolean;
resetPermissions: boolean;
filter?: string;
excludePaths?: string[];
help?: boolean;
}
export const args = parse
{
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: String,
copyFiles: { type: Boolean, alias: 'c', description: 'Copies files rather than moves them' },
resetPermissions: Boolean,
filter: { type: String, optional: true },
excludePaths: { type: String, multiple: true, optional: true },
help: { type: Boolean, optional: true, alias: 'h', description: 'Prints this usage guide' },
},
{
helpArg: 'help',
headerContentSections: [{ header: 'My Example Config', content: 'Thanks for using Our Awesome Library' }],
footerContentSections: [{ header: 'Footer', content: Copyright: Big Faceless Corp. inc. }],`
},
);
with the above config these commands:
`bash`
$ node exampleConfigWithHelp.js -h
$ node exampleConfigWithHelp.js --help
will give the following output:
`
My Example Config
Thanks for using Our Awesome Library
Options
--sourcePath string
--targetPath string
-c, --copyFiles Copies files rather than moves them
--resetPermissions
--filter string
--excludePaths string[]
-h, --help Prints this usage guide
Footer
Copyright: Big Faceless Corp. inc.
`
The arguments for an application can also be defined in a config file. The following config allows this:
`typescript
interface ICopyFilesArguments {
sourcePath: string;
targetPath: string;
copyFiles: boolean;
resetPermissions: boolean;
filter?: string;
excludePaths?: string[];
configFile?: string;
jsonPath?: string;
}
export const args = parse
{
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: String,
copyFiles: { type: Boolean },
resetPermissions: Boolean,
filter: { type: String, optional: true },
excludePaths: { type: String, multiple: true, optional: true },
configFile: { type: String, optional: true },
jsonPath: { type: String, optional: true },
},
{
loadFromFileArg: 'configFile',
loadFromFileJsonPathArg: 'jsonPath',
},
);
`
With this configuration the same command line arguments can be passed:
`bash`
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath source --targetPath target
but the user of the script can use a config file instead:
package.json (for example)
`json`
{
"name": "myPackage",
"version": "0.1.1",
"copyFileConfig": {
"copyFileOne": {
"sourcePath": "source",
"targetPath": "target",
"copyFiles": true,
"resetPermissions": false,
"excludePaths": ["one", "two", "three"]
}
}
}
`bash`
$ node exampleConfig.js --configFile package.json --jsonPath copyFileConfig.copyFileOne
Any params passed on the command line will ovverride those defined in the file:
`bash`
$ node exampleConfig.js --configFile package.json --jsonPath copyFileConfig.copyFileOne --resetPermissions
Boolean values in a file can be overridden by just specfying the argName for true specifying the value:
`bash`
$ myCommand --booleanOne --booleanTwo=false --booleanThree false -b=false -o=true --booleanFour=1
When defining settings in a json file the values are still passed through the type function defined in your config so for this setup:
`typescript
interface ISampleConfig {
startDate: Date;
endDate: Date;
inclusive: boolean;
includeStart: boolean;
includeEnd: boolean;
}
function parseDate(value: any) {
return new Date(Date.parse(value));
}
export const args = parse
startDate: { type: parseDate },
endDate: { type: parseDate },
initialCount: Number,
endCount: Number,
inclusive: Boolean,
includeStart: Boolean,
includeEnd: Boolean,
});
`
This settings file would be correctly parsed:
`json`
{
"startDate": "01/01/2020",
"endDate": "00010201T000000Z",
"initialCount": 1,
"endCount": "2",
"inclusive": true,
"includeStart": "false",
"includeEnd": 1,
}
[//]: ####ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_replaceBelow
A markdown version of the usage guide can be generated and inserted into an existing markdown document.
Markers in the document describe where the content should be inserted, existing content betweeen the markers is overwritten.
write-markdown -m README.MD -j usageGuideConstants.js
| Argument | Alias | Type | Description |
|-|-|-|-|
| markdownPath | m | string | The file to write to. Without replacement markers the whole file content will be replaced. Path can be absolute or relative. |
| replaceBelow | | string | A marker in the file to replace text below. |
| replaceAbove | | string | A marker in the file to replace text above. |
| insertCodeBelow | | string | A marker in the file to insert code below. File path to insert must be added at the end of the line and optionally codeComment flag: 'insertToken file="path/toFile.md" codeComment="ts"' |
| insertCodeAbove | | string | A marker in the file to insert code above. |
| copyCodeBelow | | string | A marker in the file being inserted to say only copy code below this line |
| copyCodeAbove | | string | A marker in the file being inserted to say only copy code above this line |
| jsFile | j | string[] | jsFile to 'require' that has an export with the 'UsageGuideConfig' export. Multiple files can be specified. |
| configImportName | c | string[] | Export name of the 'UsageGuideConfig' object. Defaults to 'usageGuideInfo'. Multiple exports can be specified. |
| verify | v | boolean | Verify the markdown file. Does not update the file but returns a non zero exit code if the markdown file is not correct. Useful for a pre-publish script. |
| configFile | f | string | Optional config file to load config from. package.json can be used if jsonPath specified as well |
| jsonPath | p | string | Used in conjunction with 'configFile'. The path within the config file to load the config from. For example: 'configs.writeMarkdown' |
| verifyMessage | | string | Optional message that is printed when markdown verification fails. Use '{fileName}' to refer to the file being processed. |
| removeDoubleBlankLines | | boolean | When replacing content removes any more than a single blank line |
| skipFooter | | boolean | Does not add the 'Markdown Generated by...' footer to the end of the markdown |
| help | h | boolean | Show this usage guide. |
replaceBelow defaults to:
` `
'[//]: ####ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_replaceBelow' `
replaceAbove defaults to:
`
'[//]: ####ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_replaceAbove' `
insertCodeBelow defaults to:
`
'[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeBelow' `
insertCodeAbove defaults to:
`
'[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeAbove)' `
copyCodeBelow defaults to:
`
'// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeBelow' `
copyCodeAbove defaults to:
`
'// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeAbove'
[//]: ####ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_replaceAbove
(the Markdown Generation section above was generated using write-markdown )
Markdown generation can also insert some or all of a file into your markdown. This is useful for including example code. Rather than copying code that will likely get out of date you can directly include code that is checked by your compiler as part of your normal build.
To include code markers must be added to your markdown that indicates which file to copy from. The default marker (which can be changed if desired) is:
` `
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeBelow file="path/from/markdown/to/file.ts" )
CODE INSERTED HERE
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeBelow file="path/from/markdown/to/file.ts"
Whatever marker you use you must include the in that format. codeComment
You can also surround the inserted code with a triple backticks by including or codeComment="myLanguage". For example: `
`
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeBelow file="path/from/markdown/to/file.ts" codeComment="typescript" ) `
Areas to include from the file that is being inserted can be designated with more markers within the file. For example:
ts`
export const someExport = "not copied";
// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeBelow
export function (){
//this function will be copied
}
// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeAbove
Insert code can also be performed in code:
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_readme-generation_insertCodeBelow file="src/example/insert-code.example.ts" codeComment="typescript" )
`typescript`
async function insertSampleCode() {
// this function is inserted into markdown from a ts file using insertCode
await insertCode('src/example/insert-code-sample.md', {
insertCodeBelow: insertCodeBelowDefault,
insertCodeAbove: insertCodeAboveDefault,
copyCodeBelow: copyCodeBelowDefault,
copyCodeAbove: copyCodeAboveDefault,
});
}
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_readme-generation_insertCodeAbove)
#### Snippets
If you have a file that you want to copy multiple chunks of code from snippetName can be used to specify which section of code you want to copy:
` `
[//]: # (ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_insertCodeBelow file="path/from/markdown/to/file.ts" snippetName="mySnippet" )
`ts`
export const someExport = "not copied";
// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeBelow mySnippet
export function (){
//this function will be copied
}
// ts-command-line-args_write-markdown_copyCodeAbove
The only chalk modifiers supported when converting to markdown are bold and italic. `
For example:
`
{bold bold text} {italic italic text} {italic.bold bold italic text} `
will be converted to:
`
boldText italic text bold italic text
Two additional style modifiers have been added that are supported when writing markdown. They are removed when printing to the console.
` `
{highlight someText} someText
surrounds the text in backticks: `
and
`
{code.typescript function(message: string)\\{console.log(message);\\}} `
Surrounds the text in triple back ticks (with an optional language specifer, in this case typescript): typescript `
function(message: string){console.log(message);}
To generate markdown we must export the argument definitions and options used by command-line-usage so that we can require the javascript file and import the definitions when running write-markdown. We cannot export these values from a javascript file that has any side effects (such as copying files in the case of a copy-files node executable) as the same side effects would be executed when we are just trying to generate markdown.
For example, if we had a copy-files application you would organise you code like this:
copy-file.constants.ts:typescript
export interface ICopyFilesArguments {
sourcePath: string;
targetPath: string;
help?: boolean;
}
const argumentConfig: ArgumentConfig
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: String,
help: { type: Boolean, optional: true, alias: 'h', description: 'Prints this usage guide' },
};
const parseOptions: ParseOptions
helpArg: 'help',
headerContentSections: [{ header: 'copy-files', content: 'Copies files from sourcePath to targetPath' }],
}
export const usageGuideInfo: UsageGuideConfig
arguments: argumentConfig,
parseOptions,
};
`
copy-file.ts:typescript
// The file that actually does the work and is executed by node to copy files
import { usageGuideInfo } from "./copy-file-constants"
const args: ICopyFilesArguments = parse(usageGuideInfo.arguments, usageGuideInfo.parseOptions);
// Perform file copy operations
`
The usage guide would be displayed on the command line with the following command:
`bash`
$ copy-files -h
and markdown would be generated (after typescript had been transpiled into javascript) with:
`bash`
$ write-markdown -m markdownFile.md -j copy-file.constants.js
This library is a wrapper around command-line-args so any docs or options for that library should apply to this library as well.
`typescript`
function parse
parse will return an object containing all of your command line options. For example with this config:`typescript
import {parse} from 'ts-command-line-args';
export const args = parse
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: { type: String, alias: 't' },
copyFiles: { type: Boolean, alias: 'c' },
resetPermissions: Boolean,
filter: { type: String, optional: true },
excludePaths: { type: String, multiple: true, optional: true },
});
`
and this command:bash`
$ node exampleConfig.js --sourcePath mySource --targetPath myTarget
the following object will be returned: javascript`
{
"sourcePath":"mySource",
"targetPath":"myTarget",
"copyFiles":false,
"resetPermissions":false
}
(booleans are defaulted to false unless they are marked as )
If any required options are omitted (in this case just sourcePath and targetPath) then an error message will be logged and the process will exit with no further code will be executed after the call to parse:
`bash`
$ node exampleConfigWithHelp.js
Required parameter 'sourcePath' was not passed. Please provide a value by passing '--sourcePath=passedValue' in command line arguments
Required parameter 'targetPath' was not passed. Please provide a value by passing '--targetPath=passedValue' or '-t passedValue' in command line arguments
If you do not want the process to exit that this can be disabled by passing false as the last argument:
`typescript
import {parse} from 'ts-command-line-args';
export const args = parse
sourcePath: String,
targetPath: { type: String, alias: 't' },
copyFiles: { type: Boolean, alias: 'c' },
resetPermissions: Boolean,
filter: { type: String, optional: true },
excludePaths: { type: String, multiple: true, optional: true },
},
{}, // empty options object
false
);
`
In this case errors will still be logged to the console but the process will not exit and code execution will continue after the call to .
Option definitions must be passed to parse. For the most part option definitions are the same as OptionDefinition from command-line-args except that name is not required. Name is not required as we pass an object:
`typescript`
{
propertyName: {}
}
rather than an array of options:typescript`
[
{ name: "propertyName" }
]
#### Simple Arguments
For a simple, single, required argument you only need to define the type:
`typescript`
parse
stringArg: String,
numberArg: Number,
});
the type can be any function with the signature (value?: string) => T | undefined. The javascript provided functions String, Number and Boolean all do this for simple data types but a function could be written to convert a passed in string value to a Date for example:
`typescript
function parseDate(value?: string) {
return value ? new Date(Date.parse(value)) : undefined;
}
parse
`
A similar function could be written for any complex type.
#### Further Configuration
For anything other than a single, required, simple argument a configuration object must be defined for each argument. This call:
`typescript`
parse
stringArg: String,
numberArg: Number
});
and this:
`typescript`
parse
stringArg: { type: String },
numberArg: { type: Number },
});
are identical.
Optional Arguments
If an argument is optional it must be defined as such to avoid console errors being logged and the process exiting when parse is called.
This interface:
`typescript`
{
requiredArg: string,
optionalArg?: string,
}
defines as optional. This must be reflected in the config passed to parse:
`typescript`
parse
requiredArg: String,
requiredArg: { type: String, optional: true },
});
Typescript compilation will fail in the above case without optional: true being added.
Multiple Values
If multiple values can be passed then the argument should be defined as an array:
`typescript`
{
users: string[],
}
and it must defined as multiple in the config:
`typescript`
parse
users: {requiredArg: Number, multiple: true},
});
Typescript compilation will fail in the above case without multiple: true being added.
Multiple values can be passed on the command line as follows:
`bash`
$ node myApp.js users=Jeoff users=Frank users=Dave
$ node myApp.js users Jeoff users Frank users Dave
$ node myApp.js users=Jeoff Frank Dave
$ node myApp.js users Jeoff Frank Dave
For further Option Definition documentation refer to these docs.
Most of the available options are the same as the options defined by command-line-args: https://github.com/75lb/command-line-args/blob/master/doc/API.md.
A few additional options have been added:
logger - used for logging errors or help guide to the console. Defaults to console.log and console.error.
helpArg - used to defined the argument used to generate the usage guide. This is expected to be boolean but the comparison is not strict so any argument type / value that is resolved as truthy will work.
headerContentSections / footerContentSections - optional help sections that will appear before / after the Options` section that is generated from the option config. In most cases you should probably include one header section that explains what the application does.
[//]: ####ts-command-line-args_generated-by-footer
Markdown Generated by ts-command-line-args