Aliases should support variable arguments or 'rest' arguments

[kvrhdn]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I want to create an alias which will basically add a prefix to a command.

Use case: I use aws-vault to run commands with the correct AWS credentials:

aws-vault exec <my-profile> -- <some command>

I tried to create an alias like this:

alias kaws [cmd] { aws-vault exec <my-profile> -- $cmd }

But this will only capture one 'word'. For example, this fails:

kaws aws s3 ls
error: kaws unexpected s3
- shell:1:14
1 | kaws aws s3 ls
  |          ^^ unexpected argument (try kaws -h)

Describe the solution you'd like
I'd need a way to describe a parameter which captures multiple inputs.

Maybe something like:

alias kaws [...cmd] { aws-vault exec <my-profile> -- $cmd }

Describe alternatives you've considered
@jonathandturner proposed creating an alias with many arguements, with the idea that arguments that are not specified are left blank. But this doesn't work.

alias kaws [arg1 arg2 arg3 arg4 arg5] { .... }

kaws aws s3 ls
error: Alias failed to run
- shell:1:14
1 | kaws aws s3 ls
  | ^^^^ alias failed to run
- shell:1:14
1 | kaws aws s3 ls
  | ---- Type Error
(expected:
string,
actual:
nothing)

Additional context

[fdncred]

Here's another similar example.

Alias:
alias build-profile [arg1 arg2 arg3] { with-env [RUSTFLAGS '-C debuginfo=2 -C opt-level=0 -C link_args=/PROFILE'] { cargo build $arg1 $arg2 $arg3 }}

Error:

error: Alias failed to run
- shell:1:13
1 | build-profile
  | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ alias failed to run
- shell:1:13
1 | build-profile
  | ------------- Type Error
(expected:
string,
actual:
nothing)```

[sophiajt]

Can you try it again with #1722 and see if that helps the issue? It might take a few tries, but this approach is what seemed to make sense initially

[fdncred]

@jonathandturner my alias appears to be working with this change.

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[github-actions]

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[yashamon]

What is the the status of this? Passing variables to aliases no longer appears possible.
alias ls [$dir] = ls $dir
is giving an error.

[fdncred]

Custom commands is what you want.

[yashamon]

Custom command runs in a new scope so is not comparable. eg. running on command line: def mycd [dir] {cd $dir} mycd foo does nothing One workaround solution would be to allow parameters to pass to the source script invocation. Then we could do something like (source mycd.nu) foo. (or some other syntax) I think this does not exist at the moment or am I wrong? I think in powershell you just do: . mycd.ps1 foo so sourcing with parameters is allowed. But anyway this is a workaround it would be much better to have aliases with parameters imo.

…

On Mon, Nov 21, 2022 at 8:20 PM Darren Schroeder ***@***.***> wrote: Custom commands is what you want. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1716 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABQGIZX655EY7Y6VVJQ5JS3WJQUVVANCNFSM4M2AXUNQ> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[fdncred]

You're right about def being scoped but if you try def-env it should work for your cd custom command. Sorry for not making that clear.

[yashamon]

Oh, I didn't know that existed, it works!

…

On Tue, Nov 22, 2022 at 8:55 AM Darren Schroeder ***@***.***> wrote: You're right about def being scoped but if you try def-env it should work. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1716 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABQGIZSG7LLH2LWHZRI4263WJTNGLANCNFSM4M2AXUNQ> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>