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# getopt

(PHP 4 >= 4.3.0, PHP 5)

getopt — Gets options from the command line argument list

### Description

array getopt ( string `$options` [, array `$longopts` ] )

Parses options passed to the script.

### Parameters

`options`
  Each character in this string will be used as option characters and matched against options passed to the script starting with a single hyphen (-). For example, an option string "x" recognizes an option -x. Only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 are allowed.
`longopts`
  An array of options. Each element in this array will be used as option strings and matched against options passed to the script starting with two hyphens (--). For example, an longopts element "opt" recognizes an option --opt.

The `options` parameter may contain the following elements:

- Individual characters (do not accept values)
- Characters followed by a colon (parameter requires value)
- Characters followed by two colons (optional value)

Option values are the first argument after the string. If a value is required, it does not matter whether the value has leading white space or not. See note.

> Note: Optional values do not accept " " (space) as a separator.

> Note:

> The format for the `options` and `longopts` is almost the same, the only difference is that `longopts` takes an array of options (where each element is the option) whereas `options` takes a string (where each character is the option).

### Return Values

This function will return an array of option / argument pairs or `FALSE` on failure.

> Note:

> The parsing of options will end at the first non-option found, anything that follows is discarded.

### Changelog

Version | Description
--- | ---
5.3.0 | Added support for "=" as argument/value separator.
5.3.0 | Added support for optional values (specified with "::").
5.3.0 | Parameter `longopts` is available on all systems.
5.3.0 | This function is no longer system dependent, and now works on Windows, too.

### Examples

Example #1 getopt() example: The basics

`<?php
// Script example.php
$options = getopt("f:hp:");
var_dump($options);
?>`

    shell> php example.php -fvalue -h

The above example will output:

    array(2) {
      ["f"]=>
      string(5) "value"
      ["h"]=>
      bool(false)
    }

Example #2 getopt() example: Introducing long options

`<?php
// Script example.php
$shortopts = "";
$shortopts .= "f:"; // Required value
$shortopts .= "v::"; // Optional value
$shortopts .= "abc"; // These options do not accept values
$longopts = array(
"required:", // Required value
"optional::", // Optional value
"option", // No value
"opt", // No value
);
$options = getopt($shortopts, $longopts);
var_dump($options);
?>`

    shell> php example.php -f "value for f" -v -a --required value --optional="optional value" --option

The above example will output:

    array(6) {
      ["f"]=>
      string(11) "value for f"
      ["v"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["a"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["required"]=>
      string(5) "value"
      ["optional"]=>
      string(14) "optional value"
      ["option"]=>
      bool(false)
    }

Example #3 getopt() example: Passing multiple options as one

`<?php
// Script example.php
$options = getopt("abc");
var_dump($options);
?>`

    shell> php example.php -aaac

The above example will output:

    array(2) {
      ["a"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        bool(false)
        [1]=>
        bool(false)
        [2]=>
        bool(false)
      }
      ["c"]=>
      bool(false)
    }

### See Also

- $argv

getmyuid
getrusage
PHP Options/Info Functions
PHP Manual