Re: New options & arguments processing system for ZSH

[Felix Rosencrantz <f_rosencrantz@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think parse_opts is very interesting.  To me, it's exciting since it
attempts to use the same specifications for command line parsing as
it does for completion.  I think whatever format we use for command
descriptions, the format should be able to help the shell understand the
command line from many different angles (e.g. completion, command line
correction, validation, prediction, generation).  I think this is the
first specifications that attempts to cover the issues of the command
line from multiple sides, which a data format can do.

I think this format is complimentary to the XML stuff with which I've
been playing.  I think it would be possible to generate the parse_opts
call from the XML format.  Also, since parse_opts has additional type
and frequency information that could be added to the XML format, to aid
parse_opts generation.

One thing I noticed when trying to complete options to the supplied
"yes" function, was that it didn't provide much help for the options.
It provided type information, but it didn't actually tell me what the
options did.  The format does provide a mechanism to do that.  Though
it seems like that it requires duplicating information that is already
there in the help text.  So it seems if it was somehow possible to reuse
the help text already there that might be useful.

This format also gives the developer a bit of control over where&how
option information is placed variables.  It would be nice if _arguments
had richer control over that.  Though this extra control seems like it
is more for command line parsing that for completion.

-FR.


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