def parse_files(options)

      file_info = []

      files = options.files
      files = ["."] if files.empty?

      file_list = normalized_file_list(options, files, true)

      file_list.each do |fn|
        $stderr.printf("\n%35s: ", File.basename(fn)) unless options.quiet

        content = File.open(fn, "r") {|f| f.read}

# BEGIN PATCH
# command line option simulation
optparse_help = 'start'#'finish' # 'start' 'override'

if optparse_help
  # most of this code just determines the start and finish of the very top of rdoc documentation
  # then we can place the help_doc before, after, or overriding the top rdoc documentation
  rdoc_start, rdoc_finish = nil, nil
  content.each_with_index do |line, index|
    next if index == 0 and line =~ /^#\!/
    if rdoc_start.nil?
      case line
        when /^\s$/ then next
        when /^#/   then rdoc_start = index
        else break
      end
    elsif rdoc_finish.nil?
      rdoc_finish = index if line =~ /^[^#]/
    elsif line =~ /\s*require|load\s+(['"])[\\\/\w]*optparse(\.rb)*\1/
      content = content.to_a

      # this one line give us our documentation
      # do not chomp
      help_doc = %x{ruby #{fn} --help}.map{ |line| '#' << line }

      case optparse_help
        when 'start'
          content = content[0...rdoc_start] + help_doc + content[rdoc_start..-1]
        when 'finish'
          content = content[0...rdoc_finish] + help_doc + content[rdoc_finish..-1]
        when 'override'
          content = help_doc + content[rdoc_finish..-1]
      end

      content = content.to_s
      break
    end
  end
end
puts content
# END PATCH

        top_level = TopLevel.new(fn)
        parser = ParserFactory.parser_for(top_level, fn, content, options, @stats)
        file_info << parser.scan
        @stats.num_files += 1
      end

      file_info
    end