CommandLine::OptionParser
=========================
Author: Jim Freeze
Copyright 2005 Jim Freeze

ABOUT 
=====
CommandLine::OptionParser is part of the CommandLine suite of
tools and is used for command line parsing. The command line
parser suite consists of classes CommandLine::Option, 
CommandLine::OptionData and CommandLine::Application.

The parser supports POSIX, Gnu and XTools style parsing options. 
It also provides flexibility to support <em>non standard</em>
options. For example:

POSIX
=====
OptionParser.new Option.new(:posix, :names => "-f")

Gnu
===
OptionParser.new Option.new(:names => %w[--file -f])

XTools
======
OptionParser.new Option.new(:names => "-file")

User
====
OptionParser.new(Option.new(
   :names => %w(--file -file --files -files -f),
   :arg_arity => [1,-1],
   :arg_description => "file1 [file2, ...]"))

This last option prints:

 OPTIONS

     --file,-file,--files,-files,-f file1 [file2, ...]


HISTORY
=======
After poking around in a few corporations, it was evident that
option parsing was not well understood. Therefore, many inhouse
tools were built that did not conform to any of the POSIX, Gnu or XTools
option styles. CommandLine::OptionParser was developed so that
new applications could be written that conformed to accepted standards,
but non-standard option configurations could be handled as well
to support legacy interfaces.

More information and usage scenarios on OptionParser can be found at:
    http://rubyforge.org/projects/optionparser/

Download & Installation
=======================

Homepage:      http://rubyforge.org/projects/optionparser/
Documentation: http://optionparser.rubyforge.org/
Download:      http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=632&release_id=2345

Dependencies:
* None

Currently optionparser is only available as a rubygem.

Via RubyGems 
  $ gem install -r OptionParser

All feedback is appreciated!

Installations not available yet
===============================
# not in RPA yet
Via RPA 
  $ rpa install optionparser
  
# this either
The do-it-yourself way 
  $ ruby setup.rb config
  $ ruby setup.rb setup
  $ ruby setup.rb install
  
# nor this
The simplified do-it-yourself way 
  $ rake install


RELEASE NOTES
=============

---------------------------------------------------------------------
0.5.1  06/17/2005
* Contains all planned features except CVS like command handling
* Fixed loading path using gems. Is now loaded by:
   require 'rubygems'
   require 'commandline/optionparser'
* Updated documentation

---------------------------------------------------------------------
0.5.0  06/07/2005  
* First public release

-- 
Jim Freeze