Parsing command line string

[LemonParty]

I have a command line string, for example:

xcopy C:\Users\YourUser\Projects\ "D:\Archives\Projects Backup\" /E /H /Y

I need to split it into array of strings, so

Arr[0] = 'xcopy'
Arr[1] = 'C:\Users\YourUser\Projects\'
Arr[2] = 'D:\Archives\Projects Backup\'
...

Is there a ready solution for that?

[cdbc]

Hi
String.Split
Regards Benny

[LemonParty]

Thank you.

[simone]

In this case, keep in mind that if you use TStringHelper.Split (or SplitString), specifying the space as character separator, when parameters have spaces inside them (as in the path in your example), you will not get a correct result (in your example, the path parameter between double quotes will be split into two strings, at the space).

[Bart]

Doesn't ParamStr() do what you want?

Bart

[simone]

I think the OP wants to process a string containing a command line, not the parameters supplied to the program itself, when launched from the prompt.

[Thausand]

In this case, keep in mind that if you use TStringHelper.Split (or SplitString), specifying the space as character separator, when parameters have spaces inside them (as in the path in your example), you will not get a correct result (in your example, the path parameter between double quotes will be split into two strings, at the space).

That why is invent overload and can have AQuoteStart/AQuoteEnd/AQuote (https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/sysutils/tstringhelper.split.html)

[Thausand]

Is there a ready solution for that?

Yes, is SplitCommandLine (https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/strutils/splitcommandline.html)

[Thaddy]

We have the getopts unit in the standard rtl:
https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/current/rtl/getopts/index.html
Used by the compiler itself and several of the standard tools. Example included in the docs.

Furthermore, check out the console application template in Lazarus: New|Console Application
That already comes with command line parsing logic:
https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/fcl/custapp/tcustomapplication.html

Also have a look at:
https://github.com/benibela/rcmdline?tab=readme-ov-file
The latter has more options and is easy to use.

[simone]

In this case, keep in mind that if you use TStringHelper.Split (or SplitString), specifying the space as character separator, when parameters have spaces inside them (as in the path in your example), you will not get a correct result (in your example, the path parameter between double quotes will be split into two strings, at the space).

That why is invent overload and can have AQuoteStart/AQuoteEnd/AQuote (https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/rtl/sysutils/tstringhelper.split.html)

You're right, I forgot the following:

"If AQuoteStart and AQuoteEnd are supplied, then no splitting will be performed between AQuoteStart and AQuoteEnd characters."

[jcmontherock]

As well you can use TStringList.

[LemonParty]

I used SplitCommandLine, works fine for my needs.