[Scummvm-devel] Command line options - please comment

Max Horn max at quendi.de
Fri Oct 10 04:33:01 CEST 2003


Yo folks,

I reviewed our command line options, and how we are handling them 
currently. I'd like to propose some changes, please tell me what you 
think about it:

1) Let's add long alternatives for (almost?) all options. I want to be 
able to do "scummvm --version" or "scummvm --path=/my/path --gfx=hq3x 
monkey2" and similar.
With the current way we handle options, this would be rather cumbersome 
to add, but I have some ideas how we can reorganize the code to make 
this easy, with about as much code as we use now. So no code 
duplication, and no evil goto tricks.

2) Some IMHO rather obscure options currently have a single-letter 
options assigned. For example, consider the "-t<NUM>" option which 
probably is rarely used. Anybody who needs could still use it via 
"--tempo=NUM".
All of  -y, -t, -c, -j all are candidates for this. They are (in my 
experience, which might differ from yours, which is why I ask for 
comments!) are seldom used, and anybody who needs them always would 
probably put them into the config file anyway.

3) Point 2 will make room in the ranks of single-letter options for 
other more useful options. For example, "-t" could stand for "List 
(T)argets" (this is just an example, we don't have to do it, or we can 
use another letter :-)

4) I'd like to remove the "-l" and "-w" options completely (they are 
currently disabled in CVS anyway, but I could reimplement them with the 
new config manager should we decide on keeping them). The fact that 
when I asked on IRC who used them, the replies all were of the kind 
"hu? what do -l and -w do?" confirms my theory that they are extremely 
rarely used, and in fact I doubt their usefulness at all. Yes, I can of 
course construct hypothetical scenarios were they are useful. But can 
anybody come up with a realistic scenario, were there are no easy 
alternatives?
The only argument I heard for keeping it was that erik doesn't like 
getting his config file rewritten (in particular loosing his comments). 
But here the proper solution IMHO is to change the code so that it can 
retains comments.


Again, please comment.


Cheers,

Max





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