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classification
Title: Positional arguments with boolean actions behave differently
Type: Stage: test needed
Components: Library (Lib) Versions: Python 3.8
process
Status: open Resolution:
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: Nosy List: paul.j3, rjeffman, terry.reedy
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2020-09-12 02:38 by rjeffman, last changed 2022-04-11 14:59 by admin.

Messages (4)
msg376764 - (view) Author: Rafael Guterres Jeffman (rjeffman) Date: 2020-09-12 02:38
argparse allow the use of `store_true` and `store_false` for positional arguments, and although it is weird, it should be fine, but using either action raises a behavior I believe is wrong.

Given the following Python code:

```
import argparse

arg = argparse.ArgumentParser()
arg.add_argument("opt", action="store_false")

arg.parse_args(["-h"])
```

The output is:

```
usage: t.py [-h]

positional arguments:
  opt

optional arguments:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
```

Note that the positional argument is not shown in the `usage` line.

When any string parameter is given, the result is:

```
usage: t.py [-h]
t.py: error: unrecognized arguments:
```

(add to the end of the output the value of the argument.)

Even if the use of a positional value is not the best way to describe boolean parameter (optional arguments provide a much better interface for such values), if argparse is to support positional boolean values they should work as other positional arguments.

I'd suggest raising an error if store_true or store_false is used along with positional values.
msg377141 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2020-09-18 22:12
You think the behavior is wrong.  Does it disagree with the doc?  If not, this is an design change (enhancement) issue limited to future version.  If so, it might be a bug that can be backported.

However, when I run the code on Windows with an argument
f:\dev\3x>py -3.8 f:/python/a/tem3.py a b
usage: tem3.py [-h]
...

I do not get an error, but get the same usage message as without. Adding quotes on the command line makes no difference.
msg377241 - (view) Author: paul j3 (paul.j3) * (Python triager) Date: 2020-09-21 04:01
'store_true/false' are subclasses of 'store_const'.  All have a 'nargs=0' value.  It's that value which explains their behavior.  ('append_const' would also fall in this category)

In [2]: parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
In [3]: parser.add_argument('foo', action='store_const', default='xxx', const='yyy')
Out[3]: _StoreConstAction(option_strings=[], dest='foo', nargs=0, const='yyy', default='xxx', type=None, choices=None, help=None, metavar=None)
In [4]: _.required
Out[4]: True
In [5]: parser.print_help()
usage: ipython3 [-h]

positional arguments:
  foo

optional arguments:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit

In [6]: parser.parse_args([])
Out[6]: Namespace(foo='yyy')

In [7]: parser.parse_args(['zzz'])
usage: ipython3 [-h]
ipython3: error: unrecognized arguments: zzz

---

Like '*' and '?' this argument is 'satisfied' with nothing, an empty list of values.  For those nargs, 'get_values' takes a the special step of assigning the default.  For 'store_const' it's the 'const' that's placed in the namespace.  'store_true' does store True, and 'store_false' does store False.

Providing a string produces an error because there isn't any Action to consume it.  With nargs=0, this Action can't use it.   Usage is also correct since we can't provide any string to meet this Action's needs.

Technically then the Action behaves correctly - both in usage and what it does.  That said, it normally isn't useful, since it will always assign the 'const/True/False' to the namespace.  Even without an in depth knowledge of how parsing is done, this should be logically evident (if not obvious).

I don't recall any previous issues like this, though I wouldn't be surprised if there were.  I don't recall anything on Stackoverflow either.

I think adding an error would be overkill.  It doesn't come up often, and some user might have their own obscure reason for using it.  

A note to the docs might be in order, but until a user has encountered this behavior as you have, such a note might be more confusing than useful.

As a general rule, parameter checking in add_argument() is rather loose (and multilayered).  While 'action' is used to select the Action subclass, most of the rest are passed on to that Action.  The Action __init__ check a few key parameters (for example 'store_const' will complain if we don't provide a 'const'), but accept or ignore the rest.
msg377258 - (view) Author: Rafael Guterres Jeffman (rjeffman) Date: 2020-09-21 14:45
I don't think many users will try to use a boolean positional argument. I only excited this behavior because I was writing an abstraction over argparse to define the command line interface based on a configuration file, and I was trying to add some type checking.

I think documenting the behavior is enough.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:59:35adminsetgithub: 85935
2020-09-21 14:45:29rjeffmansetmessages: + msg377258
2020-09-21 04:01:01paul.j3setnosy: + paul.j3
messages: + msg377241
2020-09-18 22:12:09terry.reedysetnosy: + terry.reedy
title: Positional arguments which use store boolean actions do not behave as other actions. -> Positional arguments with boolean actions behave differently
messages: + msg377141

stage: test needed
2020-09-12 02:38:08rjeffmancreate