clilabs 0

# clilabs: the python CLI framework for getting things done

```
$ pip install clilabs
```

Try with your own command first, put this in example.py:

```
def main(*args, **kwargs):
print(f'Args: {args}')
print(f'Kwargs: {kwargs}')
```

Note that you can also use the example.py at the root of the repo for testing
purposes.

You invoke your own functions by defining the main function in a python module
that takes args and kwargs:

```
$ clilabs example.main somearg somekwarg=1
```

Note that you can either omit `:main` that is the default,
either target a callable:

```
$ clilabs example:SomeClass.some_attr.somestaticmethod
```

If an argument starts with `-`, it will be available with in the context object
you can import from clilabs. Change example.py to the following:

```
def main(*args, **kwargs):
print(f'Args: {args}')
print(f'Kwargs: {kwargs}')

from clilabs import context
print(f'Context args: {context.args}')
print(f'Context kwagrs: {context.kwargs}')
```

Now try:

```
$ clilabs your.module --noinput -c=2
```

The tradeoff is that you cannot use space to delimit key from value because
that would confuse the lexer which wouldn't be able to distinguish value from
un-named argument:

```
# results in context.args == ['c'] and args == ['somearg']
# NOT in context['c'] == 'somearg'
$ clilabs your.module -c somearg
```

When it finds only a `-` alone then it will read stdin for a value:

```
$ echo bar | clilabs example -
```

If you want to get the help of a command, sorry but this framework is too
stupid. However, you can try to read its docstring with the builtin
introspection command:

```
# docstring of function
$ clilabs clilabs.inspect:doc your.mod:main

# docstring of module
$ clilabs clilabs.inspect:doc clilabs.django
```

Pycli also bundles a nice bunch of functions for Django, for now it has a
django submodule that defines a bunch of CLI functions:

```
# find the content for this variable in your project manage.py
# because automated software should be available automatically
# changing INSTALLED_APPS is considered a manual operation
$ export DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE=your.settings

# you will probably run this from your directory parent to manage.py:
$ clilabs clilabs.django:create auth.user username=pony is_superuser=1

# i just checked and chpasswd command in django supports only interactive
$ clilabs clilabs.django:chpasswd /path/to/password username=pony

# supports stdin too with -
$ echo yourpassword | clilabs.django:chpasswd - username=pony

# find stuff:
$ clilabs clilabs.django:list auth.user username is_superuser
| pk | username | is_superuser |
| 1 | pony | True |
| 2 | ninja | False |

# and filter
$ clilabs clilabs.django:list auth.user username is_superuser=true
| pk | username | is_superuser |
| 1 | ninja | True |

# count supports filters too
$ clilabs clilabs.django:count is_superuser=true
1

# delete stuff, would be nicer with --noinput
$ clilabs clilabs.django:delete auth.user username=pony --noinput
1

# you can use other models
$ clilabs clilabs.django:create sites.site name='awesome site' domain=awesome.com
$ clilabs clilabs.django:list admin.logentry
$ clilabs clilabs.django:detail auth.groups pk=1

# and of course your own apps:
$ clilabs yourapp.cli:dosomething with_that_arg with_that_kwarg=1 --noinput --othercontextarg=1
```

## Why not use a management command ?

**Because automation software should be automatically made available in an
automated way.**

That means, having to add it to INSTALLED_APPS is: no because it's a manual
operation.

## Why is it not available as management command ?

Because we need to break out of the framework's inversion of control to make
such a rich user experience from the command line: with dynamic options.

## Why not use click ?

I really wonder how to use click to work out with this weird cli.

## Do you have crazy ideas for new django functions ?

Always, why not being able to run a forms on the command line given a dotted
import path, both in interactive, and non interactive mode ?

Or, why not provision a model from a file tree of YAML files to replace
loaddata ?

Last time I needed those features, I passed, but it's over now.