print_options ()
{
   cat <<EOF

   Usage:${PROGRAM_NAME##*/}

   Optional Parameters:
           [[-d] [-v] | [-q]]

EOF
exit 0

}

...

###################################################################################
# this short curcuit is needed for when no parameters are given
###################################################################################
if [[ $1 == "" ]]
then
   print_options

fi

...

while getopts ":dhqTv" OPT                              # While there is a command line option
do
   case $OPT in
      d)   DEBUG_STRING=" -d "                                  # this is used to pass this flag to another script
           let "DEBUG += 1"
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: DEBUG=$DEBUG" DEBUG
           dFLAG=$TRUE
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: dFLAG=${TFSTATUS[$dFLAG]}" DEBUG
           ;;

      h)   print_options;;

      q)   QUIET_STRING=" -q "                                  # this is used to pass this flag to another script
           QUIET=$TRUE
           qFLAG=$TRUE
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: qFLAG=${TFSTATUS[$aFLAG]}" DEBUG
           ;;

      T)   TESTING_STRING=" -T "                                # this is used to pass this flag to another script
           TESTING=$TRUE
           TFLAG=$TRUE
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: TFLAG=${TFSTATUS[$TFLAG]}" DEBUG
           ;;

      v)   VERBOSE_STRING=" -v "                                # this is used to pass this flag to another script
           let "VERBOSE += 1"
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: VERBOSE=$VERBOSE" DEBUG
           vFLAG=$TRUE
           (( $DEBUG >= 2 )) && print_status_message "DEBUG: vFLAG=${TFSTATUS[$vFLAG]}" DEBUG
           ;;

      ?)   print_status_message "ERROR: Unknown flag encountered.\n" ERROR
           print_options
           exit -1
           ;;

   esac
done                                            # end -