[chirp_devel] [PATCH 4/9] chirpc: add --list-radios option (#2343)

[Kosta Arvanitis]

Which list are you referring to that was being maintained? The list in the help text was already being programmatically generated and thus self-documenting. 


Regardless, the list was obviously too long and tidying it up (along with verbose output) is called for. My opinion would be to have this info provided in the help text, but if some majority feels being less verbose is beneficial then so be it.

----------------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2015 01:55:03 -0800
> From: zach at mandolincreekfarm.com
> To: chirp_devel at intrepid.danplanet.com
> Subject: Re: [chirp_devel] [PATCH 4/9] chirpc: add --list-radios option (#2343)
>
> On 02/25/2015 12:51 AM, Kosta Arvanitis wrote:
>> To me this is more of an extension of help than an actual unique
>> command line option. The reason being that it is now the only command
>> (aside from help) which does not actually perform an action on a radio.
>
> It is a query command. It allows the code to be self-documenting, as
> opposed to having to maintain a separate list that will inevitably
> become out of date.
>
>> If we are extending the list of radios why not apply it to set
>> modes, duplex, etc...? Its starting to become rather confusing, imo.
>
> If you are asking for further query commands, I believe that would be a
> good idea. It will be beneficial to introspect into the tool, when the
> accepted values may be conditionally or dynamically defined.
>
>> On the other hand the list of radios is rather long. Another option
>> may be to print the list of radio at the end help output or to only
>> print it out in verbose help mode, for example.
>
> I do not think it belongs in the help text. That block is already far
> too long, even after removing the radio list. It will only get worse.
>
>> Most people are going to run --help, not see the list of radios, and
> they will need to figure out what command to run to see the list of
> radios, previously a one step process is now a two-step (with some thought).
>
> If they need to specify the radio, it will tell them. They will then
> use --help to find the option to set the radio (-r). The help text for
> the that option tells them to use --list-radios to find the list of
> valid values. While it's slightly more work, I don't see it as a
> creating a problem for users.
>
> --
> Zach Welch
> Mandolin Creek Farm
> www.mandolincreekfarm.com
> farm: 541-453-4131
> cell: 541-740-3410
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