argparse --help in one line. - Printable Version

argparse --help in one line. - Printable Version

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argparse --help in one line. - Denial - Sep-20-2020

Hello

Following is the part of my code:

help_msg = 'Encode video file(s) recursively to HEVC 10Bit.'                        
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=help_msg)                              
parser.add_argument('-l', '--list', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all video files.')
parser.add_argument('-c', '--hevc', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all HEVC video files.')
parser.add_argument('-x', '--other', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all video files other than HEVC.')
args = parser.parse_args()

and this is the output:

Output:$ hvc -h
usage: hvc [-h] [-l [PATH]] [-c [PATH]] [-x [PATH]]

Encode video file(s) recursively to HEVC 10Bit.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -l [PATH], --list [PATH]
                        List all video files.
  -c [PATH], --hevc [PATH]
                        List all HEVC video files.
  -x [PATH], --other [PATH]
                        List all video files other than HEVC.

I want the 'optional arguments' part of help output be printed in the same line. Like this:

Output:optional arguments:
  -h, --help                  show this help message and exit
  -l [PATH], --list [PATH]    List all video files.
  -c [PATH], --hevc [PATH]    List all HEVC video files.
  -x [PATH], --other [PATH]   List all video files other than HEVC.

How do I make it?

Thanks

RE: argparse --help in one line. - deanhystad - Sep-20-2020

import argparse
import os

PWD = os.getcwd()
help_msg = 'Encode video file(s) recursively to HEVC 10Bit.'

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=help_msg,
    formatter_class=lambda prog: argparse.HelpFormatter(prog, max_help_position=30))
parser.add_argument('-l', '--list', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all video files.')
parser.add_argument('-c', '--hevc', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all HEVC video files.')
parser.add_argument('-x', '--other', nargs='?', const=PWD, metavar='PATH', help='List all video files other than HEVC.')
args = parser.parse_args()

parser.print_help()

help(parser.formatter_class)

Output:Help on class HelpFormatter in module argparse:

class HelpFormatter(builtins.object)
 |  HelpFormatter(prog, indent_increment=2, max_help_position=24, width=None)
 |  
 |  Formatter for generating usage messages and argument help strings.
 |  
 |  Only the name of this class is considered a public API. All the methods
 |  provided by the class are considered an implementation detail.

You could also write your own HelpFormatter class.

Personally I don't mind the extra lines and would prefer that all help use the same formatting.