--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/libervia/cli/arg_tools.py	Fri Jun 02 14:54:26 2023 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+
+# Libervia CLI
+# Copyright (C) 2009-2021 Jérôme Poisson (goffi@goffi.org)
+
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+from libervia.backend.core.i18n import _
+from libervia.backend.core import exceptions
+
+
+def escape(arg, smart=True):
+    """format arg with quotes
+
+    @param smart(bool): if True, only escape if needed
+    """
+    if smart and not " " in arg and not '"' in arg:
+        return arg
+    return '"' + arg.replace('"', '\\"') + '"'
+
+
+def get_cmd_choices(cmd=None, parser=None):
+    try:
+        choices = parser._subparsers._group_actions[0].choices
+        return choices[cmd] if cmd is not None else choices
+    except (KeyError, AttributeError):
+        raise exceptions.NotFound
+
+
+def get_use_args(host, args, use, verbose=False, parser=None):
+    """format args for argparse parser with values prefilled
+
+    @param host(LiberviaCli): LiberviaCli instance
+    @param args(list(str)): arguments to use
+    @param use(dict[str, str]): arguments to fill if found in parser
+    @param verbose(bool): if True a message will be displayed when argument is used or not
+    @param parser(argparse.ArgumentParser): parser to use
+    @return (tuple[list[str],list[str]]): 2 args lists:
+        - parser args, i.e. given args corresponding to parsers
+        - use args, i.e. generated args from use
+    """
+    # FIXME: positional args are not handled correclty
+    #        if there is more that one, the position is not corrected
+    if parser is None:
+        parser = host.parser
+
+    # we check not optional args to see if there
+    # is a corresonding parser
+    # else USE args would not work correctly (only for current parser)
+    parser_args = []
+    for arg in args:
+        if arg.startswith("-"):
+            break
+        try:
+            parser = get_cmd_choices(arg, parser)
+        except exceptions.NotFound:
+            break
+        parser_args.append(arg)
+
+    # post_args are remaning given args,
+    # without the ones corresponding to parsers
+    post_args = args[len(parser_args) :]
+
+    opt_args = []
+    pos_args = []
+    actions = {a.dest: a for a in parser._actions}
+    for arg, value in use.items():
+        try:
+            if arg == "item" and not "item" in actions:
+                # small hack when --item is appended to a --items list
+                arg = "items"
+            action = actions[arg]
+        except KeyError:
+            if verbose:
+                host.disp(
+                    _(
+                        "ignoring {name}={value}, not corresponding to any argument (in USE)"
+                    ).format(name=arg, value=escape(value))
+                )
+        else:
+            if verbose:
+                host.disp(
+                    _("arg {name}={value} (in USE)").format(
+                        name=arg, value=escape(value)
+                    )
+                )
+            if not action.option_strings:
+                pos_args.append(value)
+            else:
+                opt_args.append(action.option_strings[0])
+                opt_args.append(value)
+    return parser_args, opt_args + pos_args + post_args