python argparse enum

The argparse module in Python provides a convenient way to parse command-line arguments. In some cases, you might want to restrict the values a certain argument can take to a predefined set. This is where Enums (enumerations) come in handy. Enums allow you to define a set of named values, and using them with argparse can enhance the readability and maintainability of your code.
Let's create a simple tutorial on using Enums with argparse, illustrating the concept with a code example.
Create an Enum class that represents the valid options for a specific argument.
Here, we've defined an Enum called Color with three possible values: RED, GREEN, and BLUE, each associated with a string.
Create an argparse parser and add an argument that uses the Enum.
In this step, we use the add_argument method to add an argument called --color. We specify the type as Color to enforce the use of the Color Enum. The choices parameter is set to the list of possible values in the Enum.
Parse the command-line arguments using the argparse parser.
Now, run the script from the command line, providing the --color argument with one of the valid values:
The script will print:
Try running the script with different color values to see how the Enum ensures that only valid options are accepted.
This tutorial covers the basics of using Enums with argparse in Python. You can apply this concept to other scenarios where you want to restrict the values of command-line arguments to a predefined set.
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