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@dmolsen
Created April 6, 2013 15:45
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A very simple example of setting up a command line tool using PHP
<?php
/*
* A ridiculously simple example of using PHP as a command line tool
*
* The following usage is supported by this script:
*
* php cli.php -a [-c]
* Do something based on the -a flag. Use the optional -c flag to modify what happens when using the -a flag.
*
* php cli.php -b foo
* Do something because the -b flag is set to 'foo'.
*
* php cli.php -b bar
* Do something because the -b flag is set to 'bar'.
*
* php cli.php
* Write out the default usage information.
*/
// make sure this script is being accessed from the command line
if (php_sapi_name() == 'cli') {
/*
* Define the supported flags
* single letters (e.g. a & c) act as boolean (true/false) operators
* letters with colons (e.g. b) act as string passing whatever text immediately follows the flag
*/
$args = getopt("ab:c");
if (isset($args["a"])) {
// check to see if the -c flag is set. this makes -c an optional argument for the -a flag
$option = false;
if (isset($args["c"])) {
$option = true;
}
$include = $option ? "was used" : "wasn't used";
// do something based on the -a flag
print "\n";
print "You used the -a flag and the -c flag ".$include.".\n\n";
} elseif (isset($args["b"]) && ($args["b"] == "foo")) {
// do something based on the -b flag being set to the string 'foo'
print "\n";
print "You used the -b flag and the value 'foo'.\n\n";
} elseif (isset($args["b"]) && ($args["b"] == "bar")) {
// do something based on the -b flag being set to the string 'bar'
print "\n";
print "You used the -b flag and the value 'bar'.\n\n";
} elseif (isset($args["b"])) {
// catching an error
print "\n";
print "You used the -b flag and supplied a value but it was neither 'foo' nor 'bar'. Please use one of those two values.\n\n";
} else {
// when in doubt write out the usage
print "\n";
print "Usage:\n\n";
print " php cli.php -a [-c]\n";
print " Do something. Use the optional -c flag to modify what happens when using the -a flag.\n\n";
print " php cli.php -b foo\n";
print " Do something because the -b flag is set to 'foo'.\n\n";
print " php cli.php -b bar\n";
print " Do something because the -b flag is set to 'bar'.\n\n";
}
} else {
print "This script should only be run from the command line.";
}
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