php man page for getopt

GETOPT(3)								 1								 GETOPT(3)

getopt - Gets options from the command line argument list

SYNOPSIS
       array getopt (string  $options, [array  $longopts])

DESCRIPTION
	Parses options passed to the script.

PARAMETERS
	      o $options
		- Each character in this string will be used as option characters and matched against options passed to the script starting with a
		single hyphen ( -).  For example, an option string "x" recognizes an option -x.  Only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 are allowed.

	      o $longopts
		- An array of options. Each element in this array will be used as option strings and matched against options passed to the  script
		starting with two hyphens ( --).  For example, an longopts element "opt" recognizes an option --opt.

	The $options parameter may contain the following elements:

	      oIndividual characters (do not accept values)

	      oCharacters followed by a colon (parameter requires value)

	      oCharacters followed by two colons (optional value)

	Option	values	are  the  first  argument after the string. If a value is required, it does not matter whether the value has leading white
       space or not. See note.

       Note

	       Optional values do not accept " " (space) as a separator.

       Note

	       The format for the $options and $longopts is almost the same, the only difference is that  $longopts  takes  an	array  of  options
	      (where each element is the option) whereas $options takes a string (where each character is the option).

RETURN VALUES
	This function will return an array of option / argument pairs or FALSE on failure.

       Note

	       The parsing of options will end at the first non-option found, anything that follows is discarded.

CHANGELOG
       +--------+---------------------------------------------------+
       |Version |						    |
       |	|						    |
       |	|		     Description		    |
       |	|						    |
       +--------+---------------------------------------------------+
       | 5.3.0	|						    |
       |	|						    |
       |	|  Added  support for "=" as argument/value separa- |
       |	| tor.						    |
       |	|						    |
       | 5.3.0	|						    |
       |	|						    |
       |	|  Added support  for  optional  values  (specified |
       |	| with "::").					    |
       |	|						    |
       | 5.3.0	|						    |
       |	|						    |
       |	|  Parameter $longopts is available on all systems. |
       |	|						    |
       | 5.3.0	|						    |
       |	|						    |
       |	|  This function is no longer system dependent, and |
       |	| now works on Windows, too.			    |
       |	|						    |
       +--------+---------------------------------------------------+
EXAMPLES
       Example #1

	      getopt(3) example: The basics

	      <?php
	      // Script example.php
	      $options = getopt("f:hp:");
	      var_dump($options);
	      ?>

	      shell> php example.php -fvalue -h

	      The above example will output:

	      array(2) {
		["f"]=>
		string(5) "value"
		["h"]=>
		bool(false)
	      }

       Example #2

	      getopt(3) example: Introducing long options

	      <?php
	      // Script example.php
	      $shortopts  = "";
	      $shortopts .= "f:";  // Required value
	      $shortopts .= "v::"; // Optional value
	      $shortopts .= "abc"; // These options do not accept values

	      $longopts  = array(
		  "required:",	   // Required value
		  "optional::",    // Optional value
		  "option",	   // No value
		  "opt",	   // No value
	      );
	      $options = getopt($shortopts, $longopts);
	      var_dump($options);
	      ?>

	      shell> php example.php -f "value for f" -v -a --required value --optional="optional value" --option

	      The above example will output:

	      array(6) {
		["f"]=>
		string(11) "value for f"
		["v"]=>
		bool(false)
		["a"]=>
		bool(false)
		["required"]=>
		string(5) "value"
		["optional"]=>
		string(14) "optional value"
		["option"]=>
		bool(false)
	      }

       Example #3

	      getopt(3) example: Passing multiple options as one

	      <?php
	      // Script example.php
	      $options = getopt("abc");
	      var_dump($options);
	      ?>

	      shell> php example.php -aaac

	      The above example will output:

	      array(2) {
		["a"]=>
		array(3) {
		  [0]=>
		  bool(false)
		  [1]=>
		  bool(false)
		  [2]=>
		  bool(false)
		}
		["c"]=>
		bool(false)
	      }

SEE ALSO
       $argv.

PHP Documentation Group 														 GETOPT(3)