Is there a way to create global flags? about bashly

[DannyBen]

This was raised in #258, implemented in #271, and available in bashly v0.8.7.

See this documentation section and the docker-like example.

Is this what you need?

Also - if you want to just have similar flags in several commands, you do not need to use import - you can use YAML anchors:

commands:
- name: upload
  flags:
  - &fprce
    long: --force
    short: -f
    help: Force something

  - &debug
    long: --debug
    short: -d
    help: Debug something

- name: delete
  flags:
  - *force
  - *debug

  - long: --query
    help: Other flags

[DannyBen]

I have added a Reusable Flags Example - in case this is the pattern you were looking for.

[niksfirefly]

Well It is fine for me
but I think
It would be better to set common flags and ENVs in additional top bashly.yml section
named global: or common:
for sake of clarity

regards

[DannyBen]

I thought about it, and decided against, since the root config is the same as command config, and there is no way that both "flags" and "global_flags" will exist - its only one.

• If a command has both flags and commands - it means the flags are global, and will be available to all commands
• If a command has only commands, each command may have its own flags
• If a command has only flags (and maybe args) it is used by the command itself.

I think it works.
Generally speaking, I feel that having global flags before the command is bad form. I would recommend anyone to try and avoid using this at all, and instead, define the needed flags directly in the command(s) that need them - but, since there was some demand, I enabled this option as well.

[niksfirefly]

Well there is already global flag --help
so I think there could be more of them

[DannyBen]

I am not following. You can create more global flags by using the method I outlined above.

The --debug flag in this example is going to be "global".

And to clarify: --help is not a global flag. It is a flag that is available on all commands, including the "root" command. It is different.

[niksfirefly]

OK i rewrite your example from a few comments ago

common:
  flags:
  - force
    long: --force
    short: -f
    help: Force something

  - debug
    long: --debug
    short: -d
    help: Debug something

commands:
- name: upload
  flags:
    long: --some_upload_flag
    help: Other flags

- name: delete
  flags:
  - long: --query
    help: Other flags

This way every command gets force and debug flags

$ cli upload arg --some_upload_flag --force --debug
$ cli delete arg --query --force --debug

common section is descriptive and in bashly spirit
Of course that's my 2 cents

[DannyBen]

Ok - this is not bad actually. So we are talking about common flags and not global flags.

It is a good idea, I need to think about it.

The primary concern I have with it, is that it adds yet another way of sharing flags or other definitions between commands. There are several already, and I am afraid of confusing users.

What else other than flags do you expect to find in the common section?

[DannyBen]

After reviewing, I have decided to not implement this for the time being.

Using global flags or reusable flags can be easily achieved with one of the methods I mentioned above, and adding another configuration construct like this will complicate things (like deeply nested commands) and just add more edge cases that need to be take care of.

Nonetheless, thanks for the suggestion - I hope your use case can employ one of the methods already available.

[niksfirefly]

Well I think there are some useful common flags that works on any commands and any level of application
for example --help --verbose --debug --version --dry-run --logging etc.
so such section as common: could be only improvement and easily understood by everyone.
In my opinion - better than native yaml solutions,
but It is of course your decision.
regards and thx for good work :)

[DannyBen]

You did notice that I provided another solution other than the YAML aliases right?

See this documentation section and the docker-like example.