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hsshellscript-3.1.0: manual/features.html

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<H2>HsShellScript Features</H2>

<h3>Command Line Argument Parser</h3><p>
    HsShellScript has facilities for managing command line arguments, which are
    easier to use than the GHC library GetOpt. Command line
    arguments are specified as lists of properties. HsShellScript builds on top
    of GHC's GetOpt, but hides it completely. Command line arguments handling
    has been added because GetOpt was found to be too cumbersome.</p>
<h3>Easy Interface to External Programs</h3><p>
    Calling programs and recognizing errors (via exitcode or exception) is made more easy. There are front end functions for common programs, such as
    <tt>/bin/mv</tt> or <tt>/bin/chmod</tt>. </p>
<h3>Analyzing Paths</h3><p>
    Dealing with paths is not as trivial as it sounds. Take, for example
    <tt>../foo.bar//./../baz/</tt> (and split off the extension of the file
    name...). HsShellScript solves this thoroughly and provides functions for such
    tasks as splitting a path in directory and file name parts, splitting a path
    into path components, or syntactically normalising paths.</p>
<h3>Redirecting Input and Output</h3><p>
    HsShellScript defines operators like <tt>->-</tt> and <tt>->>-</tt> which work like
    redirection operators in shells.</p>
<h3>Building Pipes</h3><p>
    Reading the output of an external program, or piping the output of one
    program into the input of another, is almost as easy as in shells.
    HsShellScript provides corresponding operators.</p>
<h3>Error Handling</h3><p>
    Error handling is one thing which is done more thoroughly in
    HsShellScript than in shells. Failed programs won't be silently ignored.
    Exceptions are used for error handling. Non zero exit codes
    are thrown as exceptions.</p>
<h3>Quoting of Strings and Building Commands for Shells</h3><p>
    Taking care of shell metacharacters usually isn't done right. HsShellScript
    provides functions for doing it safely.</p>
<h3>Non-broken, Secure Functions for Creating Temporary Files and Directories</h3><p>
    The standard C library has <tt>mkstemp</tt>, <tt>mktemp</tt>, <tt>tempnam</tt>, <tt>tmpfile</tt> and <tt>tmpnam</tt>, which are all broken,
    non-portable or unsuitable in some way.</p>
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<small><a href="index.html">HsShellScript User Manual main page</a></small></P>
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