Add support for --no-option-options

[fourpastmidnight]

Many *nix programs have options that follow this pattern:

   --option=yes|no
   --(no-)option

I know that one could easily just supply a boolean option, as shown, but often times an additional option is accepted that prefixes the main option name with no- to indicate the option should not be used/present.

It would be great to support that.

Another way this might be supported is via custom option processing, such as adding an alias for --no-option and detecting the use of the alias, and then allowing for the customization of help to properly document the API.

[baronfel]

Another way this might be supported is via custom option processing, such as adding an alias for --no-option and detecting the use of the alias, and then allowing for the customization of help to properly document the API.

I have definitely tried this before, but I think I fell flat on the help representation. Would love to see this made possible!

[fourpastmidnight]

It just so happens I'm also taking a stab at a more extensible help system. 😉 🙂 Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>

…

________________________________ From: Chet Husk ***@***.***> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 4:58:31 PM To: dotnet/command-line-api ***@***.***> Cc: Craig E. Shea ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [dotnet/command-line-api] Add support for --no-option-options (Issue #2736) [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/573979?s=20&v=4]baronfel left a comment (dotnet/command-line-api#2736)<#2736 (comment)> Another way this might be supported is via custom option processing, such as adding an alias for --no-option and detecting the use of the alias, and then allowing for the customization of help to properly document the API. I have definitely tried this before, but I think I fell flat on the help representation. Would love to see this made possible! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#2736 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABUTP2KQ2ED6VESSAXKCSQ335OJAPAVCNFSM6AAAAACME5LIH2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTKNBZGU4TMNZYHE>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[DrusTheAxe]

It just so happens I'm also taking a stab at a more extensible help system. 😉 🙂

Update?

[fourpastmidnight]

@DrusTheAxe No update yet. On issue #2588, this comment provided more context on why the HelpBuilder was essentially "removed". Having said that, I've recently had a chance to come back to try to implement this, BUT, I wonder if that's really the best course of action given the context given in that comment I linked to.

[DrusTheAxe]

@DrusTheAxe No update yet. On issue #2588, this comment provided more context on why the HelpBuilder was essentially "removed". Having said that, I've recently had a chance to come back to try to implement this, BUT, I wonder if that's really the best course of action given the context given in that comment I linked to.

Interesting comment. Agreed, the future path(s) are murky. But given the pace things have moved, you're probably on solid footing if you plow ahead anyway. The lifespan before that needs course change is unlikely to need quick attention (alas)

[KalleOlaviNiemitalo]

Ignoring the help for now. GNU ls has similar aliases for non-Boolean options: -p means --indicator-style=slash; -F or --classify means --indicator-style=classify; -t means --sort=time. For completion purposes it would be better to have this aliasing in System.CommandLine than implement it per application, so that mutual exclusion follows automatically.

In the API it could perhaps be class OptionAlias : Option and then new OptionAlias("-p", target: "--indicator-style", argument: "slash") and set Description or Hidden if preferred. The reference to the target I think is better by name than by Option reference because the name is easier in source code and makes it clear that the target option must also be added to the command.

This model would allow new OptionAlias("--no-sound", target: "--sound", argument: "false") too, provided that --sound is defined as an Option<bool> with nonzero arity.