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Mon Nov 7 22:19:13 2005 UTC (18 years, 4 months ago) by frodo
File size: 2960 byte(s)
(Frodo) Preparation for 1.1.4, changed copyrights, email and website

1 frodo 259 This package contains a reimplementation of getopt(1).
2    
3     PREFACE
4    
5     Getopt(1) is a program to help shell scripts parse command-line parameters.
6     It is for example included in the util-linux distribution (upto version
7     2.7.1). But, there are some problems with that getopt(1) implementation,
8     as listed in the 'BUGS' section of its man-page:
9    
10     >BUGS
11     > Whatever getopt(3) has.
12     >
13     > Arguments containing white space or imbedded shell metacharacters gener-
14     > ally will not survive intact; this looks easy to fix but isn't.
15     >
16     > The error message for an invalid option is identified as coming from
17     > getopt rather than from the shell procedure containing the invocation of
18     > getopt; this again is hard to fix.
19     >
20     > The precise best way to use the set command to set the arguments without
21     > disrupting the value(s) of shell options varies from one shell version to
22     > another.
23    
24     This implementation of getopt(1) is written to solve some of these problems,
25     while still staying (for all practical purposes) completely compatible with
26     other getopt(1) implementations.
27    
28    
29     INSTALLATION
30    
31     Installation should be very easy. Just type 'make' to compile the sources.
32     It should compile cleanly, without any warnings, but even if it does not
33     you probably don't have to worry. You must use GNU Make and gcc, or you
34     will have to edit the Makefile.
35    
36     Type 'make install' to install the binary and the manual page. It installs
37     by default in /usr/local/bin and /usr/local/man/man1, to install in /usr/bin
38     and /usr/man/man1 try 'make install prefix=/usr'.
39    
40     The example files can be installed in /usr/local/lib/getopt by calling
41     'make install_doc'.
42    
43     If you do not trust the getopt(3) in your libc, or if you do not use a libc
44     with the GNU getopt(3) routines, you can use the gnu sources as provided
45     in the gnu directory. Try 'make LIBCGETOPT=0'. Ignore any compile warnings.
46    
47     You can check whether the new implementation of getopt is found first
48     in your path by calling 'bash test.bash'.
49    
50    
51     HIGHLIGHTS
52    
53     It can do anything that the GNU getopt(3) routines can do.
54    
55     It can cope with spaces and shell metacharacters within arguments.
56    
57     It can parse long parameters.
58    
59     It can shuffle parameters, so you can mix options and other parameters on
60     the command-line.
61    
62     It can be easily identified as an enhanced getopt(1) from within shell scripts.
63    
64     It can report parse errors as coming from the shell script.
65    
66     It is fully compatible with other getopt(1) implementations.
67    
68     COPYING
69    
70     This program comes under the GNU general public licence version 2. See the
71     file COPYING included in this package. Note that though you may freely
72 frodo 263 copy it, it is copyright (c) 1997-2005 by Frodo Looijaard
73     <frodo@frodo.looijaard.name>.
74 frodo 259 Files in the gnu directory are from glibc-2.0.4: copyright (C) 1987, 88,
75     89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
76    
77    
78     DOWNLOADING
79    
80 frodo 263 You can find the latest version of this program at:
81     http://software.frodo.looijaard.name/getopt/

frodo@frodo.looijaard.name
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