PHP command line interface framework is a simple class (or micro framework) that you can extend to quickly create a command line app using PHP. Only a single file is needed and anything else extends that file. It supports nice features like arguments, flags and options and many other features. Download it right away and start working on your app rather than learning an esoteric framework!

Features

• Arguments, flags, options
• Color
• Interactive input
• Object oriented PHP5
• Micro framework, only a single class to extend
• Minimal coding

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Example

Below is a simple example application written using the class. Without the comments, it’s extremely short and extremely quick to write.

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php
include "cli.php";


class Example extends CLI{

  function __construct($appname = null, $author = null, $copyright = null) {
    parent::__construct('CLI Framework Example', 'Author Name', '(c) 2012 Etopian Inc.');
  }

  /**
   * You are responsible for defining variables (class attributes) which will be used by
   * $this->main() to do its job.
   *
   * You can use arguments, flags, and options functions (methods) explained later 
   * to define these variables (class attributes).
   * First they are set using args, flags, and options functions, and then main() is called.
   */
  private $optionvar1 = 'example opt var';
  private $flagvar2 = 'bar';
  private $argumentvar = 'argvar';
  
  /**
   * The main() function gets called if at least one argument is present.
   * If no arguments are present, the automatically generated help is displayed.
   *
   * The main functions job to do the main work of the script.
   * 
   */
  public function main(){

    //how to use the $this->getInput() function to get specific input from the user.
    $input = '';
    while($input != 'yes'){
      $input = $this->getInput('Type yes to continue. Type no to exit.');
      if($input == 'no'){
        exit();
      }
    }
    //you may color the output like so.
    print $this->colorText("flagvar2: ".$this->flagvar2."\n", "YELLOW");
    print $this->optionvar1."\n";
    print $this->argumentvar."\n";
    
  }
  
  
  /**
   * Now we define flags, arguments and options.
   * Notice each one of the defintions for these functions must be public.
   *
   *  The basic naming convention is:
   *    public function flag_NAME
   *    public function option_NAME
   *    public function argument_NAME
   *
   * In the function we define the help using:
   *  if($opt == 'help'){  return 'help message'. }
   *
   * We then follow up code to process that argument, flag, or option.
   *
   * There are no return values expected from any of the following functions.
   * 
   */
  
  
  /**
   * Define the flag -e, so if you run './example -e' this function will be called
   * Flags do not handle values, to handle values ($opt) use option_ for that.
   */
  public function flag_e($opt = null){
    if($opt == 'help'){
      return 'Help for the flag -e';
    }
    print "\n".'flag_e was just called and $opt was: '.$opt."\n";
    $this->flagvar2 = 'flag var is now set';
  }
  
  /**
   * Argument is like flag, but just a string.
   * ./example.php example
   */
  public function argument_example($opt = null){
    if($opt == 'help'){
      return 'Help for the argument \'example\'';
    }
    
    print "\n".'argument_example was just called and $opt was: '.$opt."\n";
    $this->argumentvar = 'example';

  }
  
  /**
   * ./example.php --example=test
   *
   * Will output $opt = test when this function is called.
   *  
   */
  public function option_example($opt = null){    
    if($opt == 'help'){
      return 'Help for the option --example=value';
    }
    print "\n".'option_example was just called and $opt was: '.$opt."\n";
    $this->optionvar1 = $opt;
    
    //you can also call $this->getInput('message');
    //from within these functions to get input associated with the given option.
    
  } 

}

/**
 *IMPORTANT, instantiate your class! i.e. new Classname();
 */
new Example();