Examples

Example documentation structure

Here is an example structure for the documentation of a complex command with many subcommands. You are free to use any structure, but this may be a good starting point.

File “index.rst”:

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 2

   cmd

File “cmd.rst”:

Command line utilities
**********************

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 1

   cmd_main
   cmd_subcommand

File “cmd_main.rst”:

Fancytool command
***********************

.. argparse::
   :module: my.module
   :func: my_func_that_returns_a_parser
   :prog: fancytool

   subcommand
        Here we add a reference to subcommand, to simplify navigation.
        See :doc:`cmd_subcommand`

File “cmd_subcommand.rst”:

Subcommand command
***********************

.. argparse::
   :module: my.module
   :func: my_func_that_return_parser
   :prog: fancytool
   :path: subcommand

Source of example file

This file will be used in all generated examples.

import argparse

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()

subparsers = parser.add_subparsers()

my_command1 = subparsers.add_parser('apply', help='Execute provision script, collect all resources and apply them.')

my_command1.add_argument(
    'path',
    help='Specify path to provision script. provision.py in current directory by default. Also may include url.',
    default='provision.py',
)
my_command1.add_argument(
    '-r',
    '--rollback',
    action='store_true',
    default=False,
    help='If specified will rollback all resources applied.',
)
my_command1.add_argument('--tree', action='store_true', default=False, help='Print resource tree')
my_command1.add_argument('--dry', action='store_true', default=False, help='Just print changes list')
my_command1.add_argument('--force', action='store_true', default=False, help='Apply without confirmation')
my_command1.add_argument(
    'default_string',
    default='I am a default',
    help='Ensure variables are filled in %(prog)s (default %(default)s)',
)

my_command2 = subparsers.add_parser('game', help='Decision games')
my_command2.add_argument('move', choices=['rock', 'paper', 'scissors'], help='Choices for argument example')
my_command2.add_argument('--opt', choices=['rock', 'paper', 'scissors'], help='Choices for option example')

optional = my_command2.add_argument_group('Group 1')

optional.add_argument(
    '--addition',
    choices=['Spock', 'lizard'],
    help='Extra choices for additional group.',
)
optional.add_argument(
    '--lorem_ipsum',
    help='Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod '
    'tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, '
    'quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo '
    'consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse '
    'cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat '
    'non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.',
)

Generated sample 1 - command with subcommands

Directive

Source:

.. argparse::
   :filename: ../test/sample.py
   :func: parser
   :prog: sample

Output

usage: sample [-h] {apply,game} ...

Sub-commands

apply

Execute provision script, collect all resources and apply them.

sample apply [-h] [-r] [--tree] [--dry] [--force] path default_string
Positional Arguments
path

Specify path to provision script. provision.py in current directory by default. Also may include url.

Default: “provision.py”

default_string

Ensure variables are filled in (default “I am a default”)

Default: “I am a default”

Named Arguments
-r, --rollback

If specified will rollback all resources applied.

Default: False

--tree

Print resource tree

Default: False

--dry

Just print changes list

Default: False

--force

Apply without confirmation

Default: False

game

Decision games

sample game [-h] [--opt {rock,paper,scissors}] [--addition {Spock,lizard}]
            [--lorem_ipsum LOREM_IPSUM]
            {rock,paper,scissors}
Positional Arguments
move

Possible choices: rock, paper, scissors

Choices for argument example

Named Arguments
--opt

Possible choices: rock, paper, scissors

Choices for option example

Group 1
--addition

Possible choices: Spock, lizard

Extra choices for additional group.

--lorem_ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Generated sample 2 - subcommand

Directive

Source:

.. argparse::
   :filename../test/sample.py
   :func: parser
   :prog: sample
   :path: game

Output

usage: sample game [-h] [--opt {rock,paper,scissors}]
                   [--addition {Spock,lizard}] [--lorem_ipsum LOREM_IPSUM]
                   {rock,paper,scissors}

Positional Arguments

move

Possible choices: rock, paper, scissors

Choices for argument example

Named Arguments

--opt

Possible choices: rock, paper, scissors

Choices for option example

Group 1

--addition

Possible choices: Spock, lizard

Extra choices for additional group.

--lorem_ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.