Accept negative number values

[dresende]

I noticed that negative values are seen as possible options because of the minus sign. What I'm trying to do:

node something.js --value -10

Please note that --value is defined as --value <n> so it should accept it, I think.

[danmilon]

Bumped on this also.
Here: 672c7d0#L11R188

if ('-' == arg[0]) return this.optionMissingArgument(option, arg)

It throws because it treads the negative number as another command line argument.

@visionmedia How should this be fixed?

[tj]

we could assume digits cannot be flags. personally I've never used -5 etc, but some people may

[motin]

Or you can (at least in the interim) detect if the value is quoted. At least --value='-10' ought to work (does not today)

[danmilon]

They need to be escaped

$ node -p --eval 'process.argv' script --value='-10' --value2=\'-10\'
[ 'node', 'script', '--value=-10', '--value2=\'-10\'' ]

[dresende]

I don't think this is necessary. If the param is a defined flag, it's ok (even if it's a number). If the previous param requires a value then use it like a value. If you get to the point where you use a flag (like -5) in a value-required parameter, just swap the positions of the parameters.

[davidcl64]

I've gotten around this locally by adding the following:

// see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18082/validate-numbers-in-javascript-isnumeric
function isNumber(n) {
  return !isNaN(parseFloat(n)) && isFinite(n);
}

and adding the following checks:

in Command.prototype.normalize:

if (arg.length > 1 && '-' == arg[0] && '-' != arg[1] && !isNumber(arg) ) {

in Command.prototype.parseOptions:

if ('-' == arg[0] && !isNumber(arg)) return this.optionMissingArgument(option, arg);

and:

if (argv[i+1] && ('-' != argv[i+1][0] || isNumber(argv[i+1]))) {

[BrandonE]

I have encountered an edge case for the provided solution.

node something.js --value=-10

It is valid for an equal sign to be provided. Because the minus is not in the first position of the argument, this fix won't work. Further:

node something.js --value='-Minus'

String values that start with a leading minus fail as well.

[lucasfcosta]

Is this going to be fixed?

[Christilut]

Also encountered this issue, working around it by doing: -t \'-123\' which results in the value being '-123' so after removing the first and last quote, its all good.