diff --git a/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateyHelpCommand.cs b/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateyHelpCommand.cs index 03aefc5c72..795c23e0e5 100644 --- a/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateyHelpCommand.cs +++ b/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/commands/ChocolateyHelpCommand.cs @@ -192,32 +192,32 @@ wanting to pass specific options. When writing scripts, such as PowerShell scripts passing options and switches, there are some best practices to follow to ensure that you don't run into issues later. This also applies to integrations that -are calling Chocolatey and parsing output. Chocolatey **uses** +are calling Chocolatey and parsing output. Chocolatey **uses** PowerShell, but it is an exe, so it cannot return PowerShell objects. -Following these practices ensures both readability of your scripts AND -compatibility across different versions and editions of Chocolatey. -Following this guide will ensure your experience is not frustrating +Following these practices ensures both readability of your scripts AND +compatibility across different versions and editions of Chocolatey. +Following this guide will ensure your experience is not frustrating based on choco not receiving things you think you are passing to it. - * For consistency, always use `choco`, not `choco.exe`. Never use + * For consistency, always use `choco`, not `choco.exe`. Never use shortcut commands like `cinst` or `cup`. * Always have the command as the first argument to `choco`. e.g. `choco install`, where `install` is the command. * If there is a subcommand, ensure that is the second argument. e.g. `choco source list`, where `source` is the command and `list` is the subcommand. - * Typically the subject comes next. If installing packages, the + * Typically the subject comes next. If installing packages, the subject would be the package names, e.g. `choco install pkg1 pkg2`. * Never use 'nupkg' or point directly to a nupkg file UNLESS using 'choco push'. Use the source folder instead, e.g. `choco install - --source=""'c:\folder\with\package'""` instead of - `choco install DoNotDoThis.1.0.nupkg` or `choco install DoNotDoThis + --source=""'c:\folder\with\package'""` instead of + `choco install DoNotDoThis.1.0.nupkg` or `choco install DoNotDoThis --source=""'c:\folder\with\package\DoNotDoThis.1.0.nupkg'""`. - * Switches and parameters are called simply options. Options come + * Switches and parameters are called simply options. Options come after the subject. e.g. `choco install pkg1 --debug --verbose`. * Never use the force option (`--force`/`-f`) in scripts (or really - otherwise as a default mode of use). Force is an override on + otherwise as a default mode of use). Force is an override on Chocolatey behavior. If you are wondering why Chocolatey isn't doing something like the documentation says it should, it's likely because you are using force. Stop. @@ -225,17 +225,17 @@ Chocolatey behavior. If you are wondering why Chocolatey isn't doing full option is `--name`, use `--name`. The only acceptable short option for use in scripts is `-y`. Find option names in help docs online or through `choco -?` /`choco [Command Name] -?`. - * For scripts that are running automated, always use `-y`. Do note + * For scripts that are running automated, always use `-y`. Do note that even with `-y` passed, some things / state issues detected will - temporarily stop for input - the key here is temporarily. They will + temporarily stop for input - the key here is temporarily. They will continue without requiring any action after the temporary timeout (typically 30 seconds). - * Full option names are prepended with two dashes, e.g. `--` or + * Full option names are prepended with two dashes, e.g. `--` or `--debug --verbose --ignore-proxy`. - * When setting a value to an option, always put an equals (`=`) + * When setting a value to an option, always put an equals (`=`) between the name and the setting, e.g. `--source=""'local'""`. - * When setting a value to an option, always surround the value - properly with double quotes bookending apostrophes, e.g. + * When setting a value to an option, always surround the value + properly with double quotes bookending apostrophes, e.g. `--source=""'internal_server'""`. * If you are building PowerShell scripts, you can most likely just simply use apostrophes surrounding option values, e.g. @@ -243,42 +243,42 @@ continue without requiring any action after the temporary timeout * Prefer upgrade to install in scripts. You can't `install` to a newer version of something, but you can `choco upgrade` which will do both upgrade or install (unless switched off explicitly). - * If you are sharing the script with others, pass `--source` to be - explicit about where the package is coming from. Use full link and - not source name ('https://chocolatey.org/api/v2' versus + * If you are sharing the script with others, pass `--source` to be + explicit about where the package is coming from. Use full link and + not source name ('https://chocolatey.org/api/v2' versus 'chocolatey'). - * If parsing output, you might want to use `--limit-output`/`-r` to - get output in a more machine parseable format. NOTE: Not all - commands handle return of information in an easily digestible + * If parsing output, you might want to use `--limit-output`/`-r` to + get output in a more machine parseable format. NOTE: Not all + commands handle return of information in an easily digestible output. - * Use exit codes to determine status. Chocolatey exits with 0 when - everything worked appropriately and other exits codes like 1 when - things error. There are package specific exit codes that are + * Use exit codes to determine status. Chocolatey exits with 0 when + everything worked appropriately and other exits codes like 1 when + things error. There are package specific exit codes that are recommended to be used and reboot indicating exit codes as well. To - check exit code when using PowerShell, immediately call + check exit code when using PowerShell, immediately call `$exitCode = $LASTEXITCODE` to get the value choco exited with. -Here's an example following bad practices (line breaks added for +Here's an example following bad practices (line breaks added for readability): - `choco install pkg1 -y -params '/Option:Value /Option2:value with + `choco install pkg1 -y -params '/Option:Value /Option2:value with spaces' --c4b-option 'Yaass' --option-that-is-new 'dude upgrade'` -Now here is that example written with best practices (again line - breaks added for readability - there are not line continuations +Now here is that example written with best practices (again line + breaks added for readability - there are not line continuations for choco): - `choco upgrade pkg1 -y --source=""'https://chocolatey.org/api/v2'"" + `choco upgrade pkg1 -y --source=""'https://chocolatey.org/api/v2'"" --package-parameters=""'/Option:Value /Option2:value with spaces'"" --c4b-option=""'Yaass'"" --option-that-is-new=""'dude upgrade'""` -Note the differences between the two: - * Which is more self-documenting? - * Which will allow for the newest version of something installed or +Note the differences between the two: + * Which is more self-documenting? + * Which will allow for the newest version of something installed or upgraded to (which allows for more environmental consistency on packages and versions)? * Which may throw an error on a badly passed option? - * Which will throw errors on unknown option values? See explanation + * Which will throw errors on unknown option values? See explanation below. Chocolatey ignores options it doesn't understand, but it can only @@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ equals sign ('='). Note those last two options in the examples above? If you roll off of a commercial edition or someone with older version attempts to run the badly crafted script `--c4b-option 'Yaass' --option-that-is-new 'dude upgrade'`, they are likely to see errors on - 'Yaass' and 'dude upgrade' because they are not explicitly tied to the - option they are written after. Now compare that to the other script. + 'Yaass' and 'dude upgrade' because they are not explicitly tied to the + option they are written after. Now compare that to the other script. Choco will ignore `--c4b-option=""'Yaass'""` and `--option-that-is-new=""'dude upgrade'""` as a whole when it doesn't register the options. This means that your script doesn't error.