David Raymond <david.raym...@tomtom.com> writes: > So what are you saying is an option vs an argument? Because I see no > distinction whatsoever.
The command-line conventions do recognise the distinction. * A command-line argument specifies input to the program. For example, the destination file for a ‘cp’ command is specified as the final argument to that command. * A command-line option specifies a modifier to the program's behaviour. For example, the ‘--force’ option for a ‘cp’ command modifies the behaviour to remove the destination file if it already exists. > When you run something you give it a bunch of strings. Sure, command-line arguments and options are specified as strings. That doesn't erase the distinction; it just means there is a category they both belong to. > That's it. You can claim to not see the distinction, but that's athwart existing convention, and you'll need to accept that there *is* such a distinction in the specification of a great many programs. > There is nothing magical about putting a dash in front of a letter, Convention is not magical, true. Specifying options with a leading hyphen is arbitrary. That doesn't make it meaningless; the convention exists and is very normal. <URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command-line_interface#Arguments> -- \ “In the long run, the utility of all non-Free software | `\ approaches zero. All non-Free software is a dead end.” —Mark | _o__) Pilgrim, 2006 | Ben Finney -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
