[simpleqt]

DefaultParser recognizes a numerical argument, but only consults that test when an option is waiting for its value: isArgument() is called from handleToken() for the pending currentOption (DefaultParser.java:609). A negative number in any other position falls through to handleShortAndLongOption() and then to handleUnknownToken(), which throws for any token that starts with a dash (DefaultParser.java:632-635):

new DefaultParser().parse(new Options(), new String[] { "-1" });
// UnrecognizedOptionException: Unrecognized option: -1

The same happens after a complete option and its value (-b value -1), after a flag (-a -1), at the start of the line (-1 -a) and for the second of two negative numbers (-b -1 -1.5, where the first is correctly consumed as the value of -b).

This contradicts the behaviour recorded in the release notes: CLI-184, "Negative numerical arguments take precedence over numerical options (only supported by the new DefaultParser)", and CLI-150, "Negative numbers mistaken for options". Today the precedence only exists while an option value is pending, so a program invoked as tool -1 always aborts with UnrecognizedOptionException unless the caller writes tool -- -1.

Fix: in handleToken(), route a token that is a negative number and does not match a registered option to the arguments. Everything else is unchanged:

• a registered option that looks like a number still wins: with an option -1, parse(opts, "-1", "-2") sets -1 and puts -2 in the arguments;
• -b -1 still consumes -1 as the value of -b (the value path is untouched);
• -- still sends every following token to the arguments;
• the NonOptionAction modes keep their meaning (IGNORE/SKIP/STOP are not reached for a negative number).

Validation:

• New tests DefaultParserTest#testNegativeNumberArgument, #testNegativeNumberOption and #testNegativeNumberAfterEndOfOptions.
• On the pre-fix base the first two fail with UnrecognizedOptionException: Unrecognized option: -1 / -2; with the fix all pass.
• Full mvn test passes (1005 tests, 0 failures) and checkstyle reports 0 violations.

No src/changes/changes.xml entry is included because the action format requires a JIRA issue key and I do not have a JIRA account. Happy to add one, e.g.:

<action type="fix" dev="simpleqt" due-to="simpleqt" issue="CLI-xxx">A numerical argument is an argument in every position on the command line, not only where an option value is pending (CLI-184).</action>

AI assistance used to diagnose and fix this defect; the analysis and the change have been reviewed and verified as described above.

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