Don't throw on positional errors if --help was passed

[edannenberg]

When a script has required positionals it should not throw an error if the user also passed --help. The help is displayed but it prevents using a custom help function via ARG_OPTIONAL_ACTION([help]..), as die() always calls the default print_help. A user has to call ./foo.sh asd --help to see the custom help function.

Also ./foo.sh --help ending with FATAL ERROR: .... is probably not the best user experience.

[matejak]

I think that I don't understand the entire issue, so please be patient with me :-)

• I agree that it should be possible to somehow override the default help function. The question is how to do it, which is usually coupled with the reason why one wants to override default help. So could you please elaborate on that?
  Allowing help function written from scratch seems to be easy, but I have a feeling that you may like some of the stuff that Argbash does for you, but maybe you would like to leave something out or add something in?
• I think that if you have an action argument, the script is supposed to end after the action is performed (however, the return code may vary, although the currently there is exit 0executed after the command). So the code that checks actual arguments passed before the declaration is not reached.
  Therefore, I don't understand how an error that you describe could possibly occur (so if it does, could you please attach a template that behaves like this?)

[matejak]

I see that you actually elaborate on this in #3, so disregard the answer above for the time being, I have to get through #3 first.

[matejak]

This is supposed to come with argbash-diy mode, where argbash will define functions for everything. Then, the script writer may decide to override or not to call some of them.

[edannenberg]

👍 but the main point of this issue is unrelated to customization:

Also ./foo.sh --help ending with FATAL ERROR: .... is probably not the best user experience.

If the script foo.sh requires a positional arg, passing --help should not trigger the input validation at all IMO. --help is essentially a global command that should override everything, just display the help as requested and exit 0. Maybe nitpicking as the help is currently displayed, I wouldn't expect the error message though when running foo.sh --help.

[matejak]

This is a matter of taste. I want to avoid a special case that would depend on argument name. My goal include making your setup possible without having to pass the argbash-generated output to additional scripts, but using other means than handling the --help argument in a special way.

[edannenberg]

Fair points, I think this can be closed then unless you want to keep it open for reference.

[matejak]

This will be closed only when the issue is solved ;-) One bugfix release is to be expected before this is addressed.

[matejak]

Check out the DIY mode, it gives you what you need.