Per command help

[haf]

I'd like to see per-command help.

I keep getting stuck and having to refer to both the issue list and filing issues and the online documentation. Especially when I can't assume that Paket follows the bundler sane defaults.

Furthermore, I keep getting trapped in intermediate states. Should I use paket add nuget <nuget> or should I use paket install or paket update when I have made a change to paket.references in a project? And no matter which one I use, I get errors like "... ientAPI.FSharp.Tests/paket.references references package protobuf-net, but it was not found in the paket.lock file."

Perhaps reconsider moving towards a more bundler-compatible world-view, so I can re-use existing knowledge? If I type the wrong parameters, I'd like some help to be displayed at the very least. =)

[forki]

?

[haf]

Re-read

[agross]

+1 I see your point, @haf. I find the current mixture of commands-on-top and parameters-below especially confusing. How should I know which parameters apply to which command?

Paket version 0.17.16.0
paket --help

        init: creates dependencies file.
        add: adds a package to the dependencies.
        remove: removes a package from the dependencies.
        install: installs all packages.
        restore: restores all packages.
        update: updates the paket.lock file and installs all packages.
        outdated: displays information about new packages.
        convert-from-nuget: converts all projects from NuGet to Paket.
        init-auto-restore: enables automatic restore for Visual Studio.
        simplify: analyzes dependencies and removes unnecessary indirect dependencies.
        find-refs <string> ...: finds all references to the given packages.

        --verbose [-v]: displays verbose output.
        --interactive [-i]: interactive process.
        --force [-f]: forces the download of all packages.
        --hard: overwrites manual package references.
        nuget <string>: allows to specify a nuget package.
        version <string>: allows to specify a package version.
        --references-files <string> ...: allows to specify a list of references file names.
        --no-install: omits install --hard after convert-from-nuget.
        --ignore-constraints: ignores the version requirements when searching for outdated packages.
        --include-prereleases [--pre]: includes prereleases when searching for outdated packages.
        --no-auto-restore: omits init-auto-restore after convert-from-nuget.
        --creds-migration <string>: allows to specify credentials migration mode for convert-from-nuget.
        --help [-h|/h|/help|/?]: display this list of options.

[agross]

@forki We had the install or update discussion earlier. I think that now with restore we do not need install to just take the lockfile into account. I'd also like to see a workflow that enables me to modify the dependencies and run install afterwards.

[haf]

Yes, that layout is really confusing.

For example, I haven't yet found how I selectively add a nuget dependency to a specific project, or if I added it to paket.references in that project, how to get paket to understand I did just that.

[forki]

please open separte issue for install vs. update

regarding "help" would be ok to open the html docs?

[agross]

@forki I'd like to see the help output on the command line.

[haf]

@forki I'm not going to argue hard about that issue as I probably would be arguing in error. I don't understand your model fully, so I'm not going to say it's worse. I am saying that I'm having trouble learning it though.

[haf]

I think I should be able to do paket add and have help about add (called in error, as it has required parameters) display. I think I should be able to do paket add --help and get the same command-specific help with only parameters applicable to the command displayed.

[agross]

@haf @forki As I'm not into the code so much, I wouldn't know either what to do. I've arrived at a mental model where when in doubt, I just install --hard. I don't know if that's the intended workflow.

[forki]

no I'm actually very open to change the ìnstall command, but there are a couple of things to discuss. Therefor I'd like to split these two things.

I definetly agree with the help issue.

I see the following:

paket help add shows the same text as the docs but in the cmd

[agross]

@forki I consider paket add --help the better option. I often find myself in the following situation:

• I need to add something
• type paket add
• question arises, what were the parameters for add again?
• With add --help I just can append the --help switch.
• With help add I need to navigate in front of my current cursor to get the info I wanted. And when I know what parameters to use, I need to cursor-up, navigate again, delete and type the params.

[haf]

+1 for agross' suggestion

[forki]

ok --help is fine too.

Would you agree that we want to show the same text as in the docs? I mean we could reuse/share that text somehow.

[agross]

Sounds like a good idea. I'd also omit all the switches in the generic help output. Or group them at least.

[haf]

Yeah

[forki]

(I will create that install issue)