Parse command line arguments in a Ruby script - ruby

Question

I want to call a Ruby script from the command line, and pass in parameters that are key/value pairs.
Command line call:
$ ruby my_script.rb --first_name=donald --last_name=knuth
my_script.rb:
puts args.first_name + args.last_name
What is the standard Ruby way to do this? In other languages I usually have to use an option parser. In Ruby I saw we have ARGF.read, but that does not seem to work key/value pairs like in this example.
OptionParser looks promising, but I can't tell if it actually supports this case.

Answer 1

Ruby's built-in OptionParser does this nicely. Combine it with OpenStruct and you're home free:
require 'optparse'
options = {}
OptionParser.new do |opt|
opt.on('--first_name FIRSTNAME') { |o| options[:first_name] = o }
opt.on('--last_name LASTNAME') { |o| options[:last_name] = o }
end.parse!
puts options
options will contain the parameters and values as a hash.
Saving and running that at the command line with no parameters results in:
$ ruby test.rb
{}
Running it with parameters:
$ ruby test.rb --first_name=foo --last_name=bar
{:first_name=>"foo", :last_name=>"bar"}
That example is using a Hash to contain the options, but you can use an OpenStruct which will result in usage like your request:
require 'optparse'
require 'ostruct'
options = OpenStruct.new
OptionParser.new do |opt|
opt.on('-f', '--first_name FIRSTNAME', 'The first name') { |o| options.first_name = o }
opt.on('-l', '--last_name LASTNAME', 'The last name') { |o| options.last_name = o }
end.parse!
puts options.first_name + ' ' + options.last_name
$ ruby test.rb --first_name=foo --last_name=bar
foo bar
It even automatically creates your -h or --help option:
$ ruby test.rb -h
Usage: test [options]
--first_name FIRSTNAME
--last_name LASTNAME
You can use short flags too:
require 'optparse'
options = {}
OptionParser.new do |opt|
opt.on('-f', '--first_name FIRSTNAME') { |o| options[:first_name] = o }
opt.on('-l', '--last_name LASTNAME') { |o| options[:last_name] = o }
end.parse!
puts options
Running that through its paces:
$ ruby test.rb -h
Usage: test [options]
-f, --first_name FIRSTNAME
-l, --last_name LASTNAME
$ ruby test.rb -f foo --l bar
{:first_name=>"foo", :last_name=>"bar"}
It's easy to add inline explanations for the options too:
OptionParser.new do |opt|
opt.on('-f', '--first_name FIRSTNAME', 'The first name') { |o| options[:first_name] = o }
opt.on('-l', '--last_name LASTNAME', 'The last name') { |o| options[:last_name] = o }
end.parse!
and:
$ ruby test.rb -h
Usage: test [options]
-f, --first_name FIRSTNAME The first name
-l, --last_name LASTNAME The last name
OptionParser also supports converting the parameter to a type, such as an Integer or an Array. Refer to the documentation for more examples and information.
You should also look at the related questions list to the right:
"Really Cheap Command-Line Option Parsing in Ruby"
"Pass variables to Ruby script via command line"

Answer 2

Based on the answer by #MartinCortez here's a short one-off that makes a hash of key/value pairs, where the values must be joined with an = sign. It also supports flag arguments without values:
args = Hash[ ARGV.join(' ').scan(/--?([^=\s]+)(?:=(\S+))?/) ]
…or alternatively…
args = Hash[ ARGV.flat_map{|s| s.scan(/--?([^=\s]+)(?:=(\S+))?/) } ]
Called with -x=foo -h --jim=jam it returns {"x"=>"foo", "h"=>nil, "jim"=>"jam"} so you can do things like:
puts args['jim'] if args.key?('h')
#=> jam
While there are multiple libraries to handle this—including GetoptLong included with Ruby—I personally prefer to roll my own. Here's the pattern I use, which makes it reasonably generic, not tied to a specific usage format, and flexible enough to allow intermixed flags, options, and required arguments in various orders:
USAGE = <<ENDUSAGE
Usage:
docubot [-h] [-v] [create [-s shell] [-f]] directory [-w writer] [-o output_file] [-n] [-l log_file]
ENDUSAGE
HELP = <<ENDHELP
-h, --help Show this help.
-v, --version Show the version number (#{DocuBot::VERSION}).
create Create a starter directory filled with example files;
also copies the template for easy modification, if desired.
-s, --shell The shell to copy from.
Available shells: #{DocuBot::SHELLS.join(', ')}
-f, --force Force create over an existing directory,
deleting any existing files.
-w, --writer The output type to create [Defaults to 'chm']
Available writers: #{DocuBot::Writer::INSTALLED_WRITERS.join(', ')}
-o, --output The file or folder (depending on the writer) to create.
[Default value depends on the writer chosen.]
-n, --nopreview Disable automatic preview of .chm.
-l, --logfile Specify the filename to log to.
ENDHELP
ARGS = { :shell=>'default', :writer=>'chm' } # Setting default values
UNFLAGGED_ARGS = [ :directory ] # Bare arguments (no flag)
next_arg = UNFLAGGED_ARGS.first
ARGV.each do |arg|
case arg
when '-h','--help' then ARGS[:help] = true
when 'create' then ARGS[:create] = true
when '-f','--force' then ARGS[:force] = true
when '-n','--nopreview' then ARGS[:nopreview] = true
when '-v','--version' then ARGS[:version] = true
when '-s','--shell' then next_arg = :shell
when '-w','--writer' then next_arg = :writer
when '-o','--output' then next_arg = :output
when '-l','--logfile' then next_arg = :logfile
else
if next_arg
ARGS[next_arg] = arg
UNFLAGGED_ARGS.delete( next_arg )
end
next_arg = UNFLAGGED_ARGS.first
end
end
puts "DocuBot v#{DocuBot::VERSION}" if ARGS[:version]
if ARGS[:help] or !ARGS[:directory]
puts USAGE unless ARGS[:version]
puts HELP if ARGS[:help]
exit
end
if ARGS[:logfile]
$stdout.reopen( ARGS[:logfile], "w" )
$stdout.sync = true
$stderr.reopen( $stdout )
end
# etc.

Answer 3

There is a number of command line arguments parsers in Ruby:
GetoptLong - Included in stdlib
OptionParser - No longer part of stdlib, since Ruby 3.0.0 converted to a separate optparse gem
slop
optimist
and many more...
Personally I'd choose slop or optimist, those are not part of standard Ruby installation.
gem install slop
But it offers simplicity and code readability. Assuming slightly more complex example with required arguments and default values:
require 'slop'
begin
opts = Slop.parse do |o|
o.int '-a', '--age', 'Current age', default: 42
o.string '-f', '--first_name', 'The first name', required: true
o.string '-l', '--last_name', 'The last name', required: true
o.bool '-v', '--verbose', 'verbose output', default: false
o.on '-h','--help', 'print the help' do
puts o
exit
end
end
p opts.to_hash
rescue Slop::Error => e
puts e.message
end
optimist formerly known as trollop, it's very easy to ready, with minimum boilerplate code:
gem install optimist
require 'optimist'
opts = Optimist::options do
opt :verbose, "verbose mode"
opt :first_name, "The first name", type: :string, required: true
opt :last_name, "The last name", type: :string, required: true
opt :age, "Current age", default: 42
end
p opts
Similar example using OptionParser:
#!/usr/bin/env ruby
require 'optparse'
require 'ostruct'
begin
options = OpenStruct.new
OptionParser.new do |opt|
opt.on('-a', '--age AGE', 'Current age') { |o| options.age = o }
opt.on('-f', '--first_name FIRSTNAME', 'The first name') { |o| options.first_name = o }
opt.on('-l', '--last_name LASTNAME', 'The last name') { |o| options.last_name = o }
opt.on('-v', '--verbose', 'Verbose output') { |o| options.verbose = true }
end.parse!
options[:age] = 42 if options[:age].nil?
raise OptionParser::MissingArgument.new('--first_name') if options[:first_name].nil?
raise OptionParser::MissingArgument.new('--last_name') if options[:last_name].nil?
options[:verbose] = false if options[:verbose].nil?
rescue OptionParser::ParseError => e
puts e.message
exit
end
GetoptLong parsing is even more complicated:
require 'getoptlong'
opts = GetoptLong.new(
[ '--help', '-h', GetoptLong::NO_ARGUMENT ],
[ '--first_name', '-f', GetoptLong::REQUIRED_ARGUMENT ],
[ '--last_name', '-l', GetoptLong::REQUIRED_ARGUMENT ],
[ '--age','-a', GetoptLong::OPTIONAL_ARGUMENT ],
[ '--verbose','-v', GetoptLong::OPTIONAL_ARGUMENT ]
)
begin
options = {}
options[:verbose] = false
options[:age] = 42
opts.each do |opt, arg|
case opt
when '--help'
puts <<-EOF
usage: ./getlongopts.rb [options]
-a, --age Current age
-f, --first_name The first name
-l, --last_name The last name
-v, --verbose verbose output
-h, --help print the help
EOF
when '--first_name'
options[:first_name] = arg
when '--last_name'
options[:last_name] = arg
when '--age'
options[:age] = arg.to_i
when '--verbose'
options[:verbose] = arg
else
puts "unknown option `#{opt}`"
exit 1
end
end
raise GetoptLong::MissingArgument.new('Missing argument --first_name') if options[:first_name].nil?
raise GetoptLong::MissingArgument.new('Missing argument --last_name') if options[:last_name].nil?
rescue GetoptLong::Error => e
puts e.message
exit
end
puts options
Command line arguments was never meant to be a rocket science task, spend your time on reading/writing more useful code :)

Answer 4

I personally use Docopt. This is much more clear, maintainable and easy to read.
Have a look at the Ruby implementation's documentation for examples. The usage is really straightforward.
gem install docopt
Ruby code:
doc = <<DOCOPT
My program who says hello
Usage:
#{__FILE__} --first_name=<first_name> --last_name=<last_name>
DOCOPT
begin
args = Docopt::docopt(doc)
rescue Docopt::Exit => e
puts e.message
exit
end
print "Hello #{args['--first_name']} #{args['--last_name']}"
Then calling:
$ ./says_hello.rb --first_name=Homer --last_name=Simpsons
Hello Homer Simpsons
And without arguments:
$ ./says_hello.rb
Usage:
says_hello.rb --first_name=<first_name> --last_name=<last_name>

Answer 5

A bit of standard Ruby Regexp in myscript.rb:
args = {}
ARGV.each do |arg|
match = /--(?<key>.*?)=(?<value>.*)/.match(arg)
args[match[:key]] = match[:value] # e.g. args['first_name'] = 'donald'
end
puts args['first_name'] + ' ' + args['last_name']
And on the command line:
$ ruby script.rb --first_name=donald --last_name=knuth
Produces:
$ donald knuth

Answer 6

Here is a slight modification to #Phrogz excellent answer: this mod will allow you to pass a string with spaces in it.
args= Hash[ ARGV.join(' ').scan(/--?([^=\s]+)(?:="(.*?)"+)?/)]
In a command line pass the string like this:
ruby my_script.rb '--first="Boo Boo" --last="Bear"'
Or from another ruby script like this:
system('ruby my_script.rb \'--first="Boo Boo" --last="Bear"\'')
Results:
{"first"=>"Boo Boo", "last"=>"Bear"}

Answer 7

An improved version that handles arguments that are not options, arguments with a parameter, and -a as well as --a.
def parse(args)
parsed = {}
args.each do |arg|
match = /^-?-(?<key>.*?)(=(?<value>.*)|)$/.match(arg)
if match
parsed[match[:key].to_sym] = match[:value]
else
parsed[:text] = "#{parsed[:text]} #{arg}".strip
end
end
parsed
end