Python command line argument example using argparse module

parser.py

#!/usr/bin/python

''' Python command line argument example using argparse module

Example output:

./parser.py --server=pyserver --port=8080,443,25,22,21 --keyword=pyisgood

Server name: [ pyserver ]

Port: [ 8080 ]
Port: [ 443 ]
Port: [ 25 ]
Port: [ 22 ]
Port: [ 21 ]

Keyword assigned: [ pyisgood ]

'''

import argparse

__author__ = 'Jason Vasquez Orona'


def get_args():
    '''This function parses and return arguments passed in'''
    # Assign description to the help doc
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
        description='Script retrieves schedules from a given server')
    # Add arguments
    parser.add_argument(
        '-s', '--server', type=str, help='Server name', required=True)
    parser.add_argument(
        '-p', '--port', type=str, help='Port number', required=True, nargs='+')
    parser.add_argument(
        '-k', '--keyword', type=str, help='Keyword search', required=False, default=None)
    # Array for all arguments passed to script
    args = parser.parse_args()
    # Assign args to variables
    server = args.server
    port = args.port[0].split(",")
    keyword = args.keyword
    # Return all variable values
    return server, port, keyword

# Run get_args()
# get_args()

# Match return values from get_arguments()
# and assign to their respective variables
server, port, keyword = get_args()

# Print the values
print "\nServer name: [ %s ]\n" % server

for p in port:
    print "Port: [ %s ]" % p

print "\nKeyword assigned: [ %s ]\n" % keyword

I have been reading up quite a bit on argparse for command line arguments. Lots of reading but very few practical examples. This one is excellent, thanks.

thanks it was life saver

Very Helpful. Thanks.

Excellent tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

At last a practical implementation. Thanks!

I always come back to this example whenever I create a new python project. Thanks.

good job