I get "Option 'version' is unknown" if it comes after other user-defined options on the command line

[gbirchmeier]

Since version is pretty much built-in, it should never be "unknown", especially if this message is immediately followed by helptext that clearly shows that it is a valid option.

3676 ~/fork/foo-etl$ dotnet etl/bin/Debug/netcoreapp3.0/etl.dll -c foo -d bar --version
etl 0.0.1
Copyright (C) 2020 etl

ERROR(S):
  Option 'version' is unknown.

  -c, --configdir     Required. Path to dir that contains client configurations

  -d, --invoicedir    Required. Path to dir that contains invoices are

  --help              Display this help screen.

  --version           Display version information.

[moh-hassan]

What do you think to fix this issue:

1. ignore --version or --help if it's not called in the correct way, and don't raise error.
   that what is done in most of tools.
   e.g dotnet --info --version //ignore --version
2. Give a priority to --version or --help whatever it's located in the commandline and executing its action ( ignoring other options).
3. Raise error "Invalid version/help command"

[gbirchmeier]

Comments on each suggestion:

1. There is a "correct" way? How does a user know what the correct way is? The help doesn't say that there is a correct way.
2. If it went this way, I'd say it also needs to print "All other parameters ignored when --help and --ignore are present."
3. Same as 1: this message is bad because the user doesn't know why it's invalid.

An alternate suggestion:

If "--version" is present, can the app print the version as the very first action, and then let the app proceed as normal?

[moh-hassan]

There is a "correct" way? How does a user know what the correct way is? The help doesn't say that there is a correct way.

Help screen is short and it's supposed that user manual of the tool describe how to use these options in detail in a correct way.
we can insure in wiki the correct /invalid usage of --version /--help.
The commands --version and --help are becoming standard in GNU Standard.

If "--version" is present, can the app print the version as the very first action, and then let the app proceed as normal?

--Version /Help are separate commands and most of the CLI tools don't work in this way. for example: `dotnet --info --version' run info not the version command.

[moh-hassan]

I think option 2 is reasonable especially it math GNU standard.
I'll wait to listen from the community for the suggested solutions for this issue.

[gbirchmeier]

I've just read the GNU standard regarding command-line params.

I now agree with you that (2) is the best option: params --help and --version should cause all other params to be ignored.

Since --help's output includes the version, --version can be ignored if both are present.

[rmunn]

This is fixed by #686, which allow --help and --version to appear anywhere on the command line rather than only being handled in first position.