[Python-Dev] getopt helper?

[Mark Hammond]

A little thought I have had a few times now, so it is time to pass it
on for comment.

Basically _every_ time I use getopt, I write code like this:

	import getopt
	try:
		opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "slc:d:e:")
	except getopt.error, why:
			print why
			print usage % (os.path.basename(sys.argv[0],))
			sys.exit(1)

Every single time.  I have never used getopt without this code.

How about we put this functionality into getopt itself?

It could be triggered either by adding a new "usage" param defaulting
to None, or by adding a new entry point.  ie:

	opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "slc:d:e:", usage=usage)
or
	opts, args = getopt.getoptex(sys.argv[1:], "slc:d:e:", usage=usage)

I know it is fairly trivial, but IMO is such a useful module and the
pattern is used so regularly that is seems to make sense to add it.

Any thoughts?  If it is seen favourably, how should we spell it?

Mark.