Is there a way to add subcommand options desc to the default help output

[kuncevic]

Current output:

Options:
  -v, --version                 output the version number
  -h, --help                      display help for command

Commands:
  cmd1                     Desc1
  cmd2 [options]           Desc2
  cmd3 [options]           Desc3

So in order to figure out options you have to run another command cmd2 --help which prints the options details.

I am wondering if it is possible to print that options details as a part of the default help output, or something similar to that:

Options:
  -v, --version                 output the version number
  -h, --help                      display help for command

Commands:
  cmd1                     Desc1
  cmd2 [options]           Desc2
         -o1, option1      ODesc2  
  cmd3 [options]           Desc3
         -o2, option2      ODesc3  

[shadowspawn]

Nice description, thanks.

There is not direct support for adding subcommand options into the program help (top-level command).

---

To do it yourself, you could subclass/override the Help class.

The shortcut would be to override subcommandDescription, and tack on the options:

commander.js/lib/help.js

Line 224 in 950f742

subcommandDescription(cmd) {

The full-blown approach with more control would be to override formatHelp to more explicitly extend the lines that do the subcommands:

• commander.js/lib/help.js

  Line 293 in 950f742

  formatHelp(cmd, helper) {

• commander.js/lib/help.js

  Line 334 in 950f742

  // Commands

For subcommands with a lot of options adding the options may be a bit noisy, but I can imagine it working for modest subcommands!

[kuncevic]

Yeah understood, it is very hard to please each and every use-case.
Thank you for pointing out to the right direction.

It is something that we should not expect to be a part of the default functionality, right?

[shadowspawn]

It is something that we should not expect to be a part of the default functionality, right?

Correct. (Not at this time, based on current utility conventions, and current Commander feedback.)

[kuncevic]

@shadowspawn Oh, just was thinking of this idea, to be able to mark some of the options to be shown this way.
In my use-case I do have a global flag for some options that will install npm package globally rather than locally

Currently

Commands:
install|i [options] [version]   Install a specific version of Angular CLI. By default it will install the latest version

Option 1

Commands:
install|i [options] [version]   Install a specific version of Angular CLI. By default it will install the latest version
                          -g    Install globally

Option 2

Commands:
install|i [-g] [version]   Install a specific version of Angular CLI. By default it will install the latest version

In that case Option 2 makes a lot of sense for such use-case

[shadowspawn]

Interesting idea to mark individual options, but I don't this this scales very well.

No further activity in a month. Closing this as resolved.

Feel free to open a new issue if it comes up again, with new information and renewed interest.