diff --git a/simple-get-opt.cabal b/simple-get-opt.cabal
--- a/simple-get-opt.cabal
+++ b/simple-get-opt.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                simple-get-opt
-version:             0.3
+version:             0.4
 synopsis:            A simple library for processing command-line options.
 description:
   A simple library for processing command-line options.
diff --git a/src/SimpleGetOpt.hs b/src/SimpleGetOpt.hs
--- a/src/SimpleGetOpt.hs
+++ b/src/SimpleGetOpt.hs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
   ( -- * Basic functionality
     getOpts
   , getOptsX
+  , getOptsFrom
   , OptSpec(..)
   , OptDescr(..)
   , OptSetter
@@ -110,11 +111,11 @@
     -- ^ This option does not take an argument.
 
   | ReqArg String (String -> OptSetter a)
-    -- ^ This optoin has a required arugment.
+    -- ^ This option has a required argument.
     -- The string describes the type of the argument.
 
   | OptArg String (Maybe String -> OptSetter a)
-    -- ^ This optoin has an optional arugment.
+    -- ^ This option has an optional argument.
     -- The string describes the type of the argument.
 
 
@@ -144,20 +145,30 @@
                             Right a1  -> (a1,es)
 
 
+-- | Process the given command line options according to the given spec.
+-- The options will be permuted to get flags.
+-- Returns errors on the 'Left'.
+getOptsFrom :: OptSpec a -> [String] -> Either GetOptException a
+getOptsFrom os as =
+  do let (funs,files,errs) = GetOpt.getOpt GetOpt.Permute (specToGetOpt os) as
+     unless (null errs) $ Left (GetOptException errs)
+     let (a, errs1) = foldl addOpt (progDefaults os,[]) funs
+     unless (null errs1) $ Left (GetOptException errs1)
+     let (b, errs2) = foldl (addFile (progParams os)) (a,[]) files
+     unless (null errs2) $ Left (GetOptException errs2)
+     pure b
+
+
+
 -- | Get the command-line options and process them according to the given spec.
 -- The options will be permuted to get flags.
 -- Throws a 'GetOptException' if some problems are found.
 getOptsX :: OptSpec a -> IO a
 getOptsX os =
   do as <- getArgs
-     let (funs,files,errs) = GetOpt.getOpt GetOpt.Permute (specToGetOpt os) as
-     unless (null errs) $ throwIO (GetOptException errs)
-     let (a, errs1) = foldl addOpt (progDefaults os,[]) funs
-     unless (null errs1) $ throwIO (GetOptException errs1)
-     let (b, errs2) = foldl (addFile (progParams os)) (a,[]) files
-     unless (null errs2) $ throwIO (GetOptException errs2)
-     return b
-
+     case getOptsFrom os as of
+       Left e -> throwIO e
+       Right a -> pure a
 
 -- | Get the command-line options and process them according to the given spec.
 -- The options will be permuted to get flags.