util::Option Class Reference

The base class for all options. More...

Inherited by util::BoolOption, util::DoubleArrayOption, util::DoubleOption, util::FloatArrayOption, util::FloatOption, util::IntArrayOption, util::IntOption, util::RegionArrayOption, util::StringArrayOption, and util::StringOption.

Public Member Functions
virtual void	setValue (const string &s)=0 throw (UException)
	This function is the heart of the Option class: it parses the value of the option from the supplied string. More...
virtual string	getTypeName () const
	Return the type name of the option as a string. More...
virtual bool	needsValue () const
const string &	getName () const
	Return the (long) option name. More...
char	getCmdLineChar () const
	Return the short option char. More...
const string &	getDefault () const
	Return the string representation of the default value. More...
const string &	getUsage () const
	Return the help string. More...
virtual string	toString () const =0
	Return the option's value as a string. More...
	Option (const char *name, const char *defaultVal, const char *usage, const char cmd)
	Option (const string &name, const string &defaultVal, const string &usage, const char cmd)
virtual	~Option () throw ()
virtual int	getInt () const
virtual float	getFloat () const
virtual string	getString () const
virtual bool	getBool () const

Protected Attributes
string	name_
	long option name (e.g. –long-option or long-option=value) More...
string	default_
	string representation of default value More...
string	usage_
	help string More...
char	cmdlinechar_
	short option char, for command line use More...

Related Functions
(Note that these are not member functions.)
ostream &	operator<< (ostream &os, Option &op)

Detailed Description

The base class for all options.

All data is stored as strings. Conversion (parsing) to the actual type happens in derived specializations.

Constructing an option requires 4 (+1) parameters:

• the option's name
• the default value as a string
• the help string to print for this option
• the character representing the option in the command line '-x' if this char is 0, the option will be a long option with it's name used as the option string for the command line '–name'
• The constructors of the heirs have a further parameter which is a pointer to the option's type. The option will also write its value to that location if the pointer is not NULL. Useful for easily setting global parameters, or filling a struct with parameter values without having to manually loop over and read all program option's values.

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

util::Option::Option	(	const char *	name,
		const char *	defaultVal,
		const char *	usage,
		const char	cmd
	)

ctors and dtor The parameters are

• name The long option name, to be used with –option-name (command line), or option-name = (config file).
• defaultVal string representation of default value
• usage option description and help text
• the short option character, for use with -c on the command line. Supply '\0' if no short option name is needed.

util::Option::Option	(	const string &	name,
		const string &	defaultVal,
		const string &	usage,
		const char	cmd
	)

virtual util::Option::~Option ( ) throw ( )

virtual

Member Function Documentation

virtual void util::Option::setValue ( const string &  s ) throw ( UException )

pure virtual

This function is the heart of the Option class: it parses the value of the option from the supplied string.

Implemented in util::RegionArrayOption, util::StringArrayOption, util::IntArrayOption, util::DoubleArrayOption, util::FloatArrayOption, util::StringOption, util::BoolOption, util::DoubleOption, util::FloatOption, and util::IntOption.

virtual int util::Option::getInt ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Acess the value of the option. Usually subclasses will not implement all of these, in fact, mostly just one of these.

Reimplemented in util::IntOption.

virtual float util::Option::getFloat ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Reimplemented in util::FloatOption.

virtual string util::Option::getString ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Reimplemented in util::StringOption.

virtual bool util::Option::getBool ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Reimplemented in util::BoolOption.

virtual string util::Option::getTypeName ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Return the type name of the option as a string.

Reimplemented in util::RegionArrayOption, util::StringArrayOption, util::IntArrayOption, util::DoubleArrayOption, util::FloatArrayOption, util::StringOption, util::BoolOption, util::DoubleOption, util::FloatOption, and util::IntOption.

virtual bool util::Option::needsValue ( ) const

inlinevirtual

Return true if the option needs a value, false if it is a toggle-switch needing no value. On the command line, values are given as –long-option value, or -x value. In a config file, long-option = value. '#' can be used to delineate comments. See CommandLineReader and ConfigFileReader.

Reimplemented in util::BoolOption.

const string& util::Option::getName

(

)

const

Return the (long) option name.

char util::Option::getCmdLineChar

(

)

const

Return the short option char.

const string& util::Option::getDefault

(

)

const

Return the string representation of the default value.

const string& util::Option::getUsage

(

)

const

Return the help string.

virtual string util::Option::toString ( ) const

pure virtual

Return the option's value as a string.

Implemented in util::RegionArrayOption, util::StringArrayOption, util::IntArrayOption, util::DoubleArrayOption, util::FloatArrayOption, util::StringOption, util::BoolOption, util::DoubleOption, util::FloatOption, and util::IntOption.

Member Data Documentation

string util::Option::name_

protected

long option name (e.g. –long-option or long-option=value)

string util::Option::default_

protected

string representation of default value

string util::Option::usage_

protected

help string

char util::Option::cmdlinechar_

protected

short option char, for command line use