fix: handle --help flag in exec command for non-shell scripts#409
Merged
Conversation
Previously, `usage exec <cmd> <script> --help` would show help for the `usage exec` command itself instead of the script's help. This was because clap intercepted the --help flag before the exec command could handle it. This fix makes the exec command handle help the same way the shell commands do by: - Adding `disable_help_flag = true` to the clap attribute - Manually capturing `-h` and `--help` flags - Rendering the script's help using the parsed spec Fixes #405 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Contributor
There was a problem hiding this comment.
Pull request overview
This PR fixes issue #405 by enabling the exec command to handle --help flags for non-shell scripts, matching the behavior of shell commands. Previously, --help was consumed by clap's built-in help system instead of being passed to the script.
Key changes:
- Disabled clap's default help flag handling and added manual
-h/--helpflag processing to theExecstruct - Implemented a new
help()method that usesparse_partialto render the script's help documentation - Added test coverage with a Python script example to verify the fix works for non-shell scripts
Reviewed changes
Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.
Show a summary per file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| cli/src/cli/exec.rs | Added manual help flag handling and help rendering method |
| cli/tests/examples.rs | Added test verifying --help works with Python scripts |
| examples/test-exec-help.py | Created Python test script demonstrating help functionality |
| cli/usage.usage.kdl | Updated spec to include -h and --help flags |
| docs/cli/reference/exec.md | Updated documentation to reflect new flags |
| docs/cli/reference/index.md | Updated command signature |
| docs/cli/reference/commands.json | Updated JSON spec with flag definitions |
| cli/assets/usage.1 | Updated man page with new options |
| cli/assets/fig.ts | Updated Fig completion spec with new options |
💡 Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.
Comment on lines
+54
to
62
| if self.h { | ||
| return self.help(&spec, &args, false); | ||
| } | ||
| if self.help { | ||
| return self.help(&spec, &args, true); | ||
| } | ||
|
|
||
| let parsed = usage::parse::parse(&spec, &args)?; | ||
|
|
There was a problem hiding this comment.
The two separate if statements checking self.h and self.help can be combined into a single conditional since they perform the same action with only the long parameter differing. Consider using: if self.h || self.help { return self.help(&spec, &args, self.help); }
Suggested change
| if self.h { | |
| return self.help(&spec, &args, false); | |
| } | |
| if self.help { | |
| return self.help(&spec, &args, true); | |
| } | |
| let parsed = usage::parse::parse(&spec, &args)?; | |
| if self.h || self.help { | |
| return self.help(&spec, &args, self.help); | |
| } | |
| let parsed = usage::parse::parse(&spec, &args)?; |
Codecov Report❌ Patch coverage is
Additional details and impacted files@@ Coverage Diff @@
## main #409 +/- ##
==========================================
+ Coverage 57.22% 57.32% +0.10%
==========================================
Files 47 47
Lines 5543 5561 +18
Branches 5543 5561 +18
==========================================
+ Hits 3172 3188 +16
+ Misses 1337 1316 -21
- Partials 1034 1057 +23 ☔ View full report in Codecov by Sentry. 🚀 New features to boost your workflow:
|
Merged
jdx
pushed a commit
that referenced
this pull request
Dec 31, 2025
## [2.11.0](https://github.com/jdx/usage/compare/v2.10.0..v2.11.0) - 2025-12-31 ### 🚀 Features - add default_subcommand and restart_token for naked task completions by [@jdx](https://github.com/jdx) in [#410](#410) ### 🐛 Bug Fixes - handle --help flag in exec command for non-shell scripts by [@jdx](https://github.com/jdx) in [#409](#409) ### 🧪 Testing - add non-shell script tests by [@muzimuzhi](https://github.com/muzimuzhi) in [#406](#406) ### 📦️ Dependency Updates - lock file maintenance by [@renovate[bot]](https://github.com/renovate[bot]) in [#403](#403) - lock file maintenance by [@renovate[bot]](https://github.com/renovate[bot]) in [#407](#407) - lock file maintenance by [@renovate[bot]](https://github.com/renovate[bot]) in [#408](#408)
tmeijn
pushed a commit
to tmeijn/dotfiles
that referenced
this pull request
Jan 9, 2026
This MR contains the following updates: | Package | Update | Change | |---|---|---| | [usage](https://github.com/jdx/usage) | minor | `2.10.0` → `2.11.0` | MR created with the help of [el-capitano/tools/renovate-bot](https://gitlab.com/el-capitano/tools/renovate-bot). **Proposed changes to behavior should be submitted there as MRs.** --- ### Release Notes <details> <summary>jdx/usage (usage)</summary> ### [`v2.11.0`](https://github.com/jdx/usage/blob/HEAD/CHANGELOG.md#2110---2025-12-31) [Compare Source](jdx/usage@v2.10.0...v2.11.0) ##### 🚀 Features - add default\_subcommand and restart\_token for naked task completions by [@​jdx](https://github.com/jdx) in [#​410](jdx/usage#410) ##### 🐛 Bug Fixes - handle --help flag in exec command for non-shell scripts by [@​jdx](https://github.com/jdx) in [#​409](jdx/usage#409) ##### 🧪 Testing - add non-shell script tests by [@​muzimuzhi](https://github.com/muzimuzhi) in [#​406](jdx/usage#406) ##### 📦️ Dependency Updates - lock file maintenance by [@​renovate\[bot\]](https://github.com/renovate\[bot]) in [#​403](jdx/usage#403) - lock file maintenance by [@​renovate\[bot\]](https://github.com/renovate\[bot]) in [#​407](jdx/usage#407) - lock file maintenance by [@​renovate\[bot\]](https://github.com/renovate\[bot]) in [#​408](jdx/usage#408) </details> --- ### Configuration 📅 **Schedule**: Branch creation - At any time (no schedule defined), Automerge - At any time (no schedule defined). 🚦 **Automerge**: Disabled by config. Please merge this manually once you are satisfied. ♻ **Rebasing**: Whenever MR becomes conflicted, or you tick the rebase/retry checkbox. 🔕 **Ignore**: Close this MR and you won't be reminded about this update again. --- - [ ] <!-- rebase-check -->If you want to rebase/retry this MR, check this box --- This MR has been generated by [Renovate Bot](https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate). <!--renovate-debug:eyJjcmVhdGVkSW5WZXIiOiI0Mi42OS4yIiwidXBkYXRlZEluVmVyIjoiNDIuNjkuMiIsInRhcmdldEJyYW5jaCI6Im1haW4iLCJsYWJlbHMiOlsiUmVub3ZhdGUgQm90IiwiYXV0b21hdGlvbjpib3QtYXV0aG9yZWQiLCJkZXBlbmRlbmN5LXR5cGU6Om1pbm9yIl19-->
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.This suggestion is invalid because no changes were made to the code.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is closed.Suggestions cannot be applied while viewing a subset of changes.Only one suggestion per line can be applied in a batch.Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.Applying suggestions on deleted lines is not supported.You must change the existing code in this line in order to create a valid suggestion.Outdated suggestions cannot be applied.This suggestion has been applied or marked resolved.Suggestions cannot be applied from pending reviews.Suggestions cannot be applied on multi-line comments.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is queued to merge.Suggestion cannot be applied right now. Please check back later.
Summary
execcommand handle--helpthe same way shell commands do by disabling clap's built-in help flag and manually intercepting-h/--helpChanges
disable_help_flag = trueto the Exec struct's clap attribute-hand--helpflag fields to capture help requestsparse_partialandrender_helpTest plan
test_exec_helptest that verifiesusage exec python3 <script> --helpshows the script's help🤖 Generated with Claude Code
Note
Makes
usage execintercept-h/--helpand render script help consistently with shell subcommands.execand adds explicit-h/--helpflags; handles help viaparse_partial+render_helpbefore full parsecli/assets/fig.ts, manpage (cli/assets/usage.1), KDL spec, docs (docs/cli/reference/*.md,commands.json)test_exec_helpand a Python example scriptexamples/test-exec-help.pyto validate help outputWritten by Cursor Bugbot for commit e82d373. This will update automatically on new commits. Configure here.