CommandLineArgsHelper 1.0.0.4

CommandLineArgsHelper

A parsing class to dramatically simplify working with command line arguments in a .Net application (e.g. console, client, or even web application).

It supports a variety of parameter syntaxes, and seamlessly parses all of them into a simplified Dictionary interface of key value string pairs.

Why another Library?

Many of the existing libraries are based on the constrained paradigm that arguments should be bound to strongly typed objects. However, for many implementations, this is a limiting approach that means you have to re-compile the app to support new parameters; not supporting dynamic behavior, and possibly making the model that params bind to force you to have strange naming conventions in your code.

Instead, this provides a loosely coupled approach that is more generic and allows you to support dynamic behavior and strongly typed behavior (by simply putting keys into property getter's if you like).

Original Code forked from:

The Code has been adapted from the original source located at: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/3111/C-NET-Command-Line-Arguments-Parser

But it has been updated and simplified as follows:

• Updated with new C# syntax
• More robust parsing for wider array of parameter syntaxes, keys/values with spaces, etc.
• Enhanced class wrapper (e.g. exposed read only dictionary for enumeration)
• Support for both key/value parameter pairs, as well as simple boolean flags (param is defined/exists or not)
• Improved thread safety
• Eliminated code duplication

Usage:

Usage is extremely simple:

//Intialize given a string array of arguments (string[])...
//  1) injected into console app main routine
//  2) accessed via Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
var commandLineArgHelper = new CommandLineArgsHelper(args);

var value = commandLineArgsHelper["paramKeyName"];

Console.WriteLine($"paramKeyName == {value]")

Example:

Command line with all of the following (mixed syntaxes fully supported):

-size=100 /height:'400' /day:"happy birthday" -tgif="Thank God It's Friday" -AmINice "Nice stuff !" 
--debug -param1 value1 --param2Alone /param3:"Test-:-work" /param4=--value4-- -param5 "--=nice=--"
/"param6 with spaces"="Spaces are A-OK!"

Will result in an easily accesible set of values as follows: Command Line Arguments:

1. [size] == [100]
2. [height] == [400]
3. [day] == [happy birthday] //Complex value with spaces in the value
4. [tgif] == [Thank God It's Friday] //Complex value with spaces & apostrophe (special characters) in the value
5. [AmINice] == [Nice stuff !]
6. [debug] == [true] //Boolean flag if a standalone param key is defined
7. [param1] == [value1]
8. [param3] == [Test-:-work] //Complex value with colon (special characters) in the value
9. [param2Alone] == [true] //Boolean flag if a standalone param key is defined
10. [param4] == [--value4--] //Complex value with dashes (special characters) in the value
11. [param5] == [--=nice=--] //Complex value with equal sign (special characters) in the value
12. [param6 with spaces] == [Spaces are A-OK!] //Complex Keys or Values that have spaces

/*
MIT License

Copyright (c) 2019 Brandon Bernard

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