argparse_action.py

#!/usr/bin/env python


import argparse

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()

parser.add_argument('-s', action='store',
                    dest='simple_value',
                    help='Store a simple value')

parser.add_argument('-c', action='store_const',
                    dest='constant_value',
                    const='value-to-store',
                    help='Store a constant value')

parser.add_argument('-t', action='store_true',
                    default=False,
                    dest='boolean_switch',
                    help='Set a switch to true')

parser.add_argument('-f', action='store_false',
                    default=False,
                    dest='boolean_switch',
                    help='Set a switch to false')

parser.add_argument('-a', action='append',
                    dest='collection',
                    default=[],
                    help='Add repeated values to a list')

parser.add_argument('-A', action='append_const',
                    dest='const_collection',
                    const='value-1-to-append',
                    default=[],
                    help='Add different values to a list')

parser.add_argument('-B', action='append_const',
                    dest='const_collection',
                    const='value-2-to-append',
                    help='Add different values to list')

parser.add_argument('--version', action='version',
                    version='%(prog)s 1.0')

results = parser.parse_args()
print 'simple_value     = %r' % results.simple_value
print 'constant_value   = %r' % results.constant_value
print 'boolean_switch   = %r' % results.boolean_switch
print 'collection       = %r' % results.collection
print 'const_collection = %r' % results.const_collection