gdal
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Trim gdal_calc extra large usage message
Feature description
$ gdal_calc
usage: gdal_calc [--help] [--help-general] --calc [expression ...]
[-a [filename ...]] [--a_band [n ...]] [-b [filename ...]]
[--b_band [n ...]] [-c [filename ...]] [--c_band [n ...]]
...
[--U_band [n ...]] [-V [filename ...]] [--V_band [n ...]]
[-W [filename ...]] [--W_band [n ...]] [-X [filename ...]]
[--X_band [n ...]] [-Y [filename ...]] [--Y_band [n ...]]
[-Z [filename ...]] [--Z_band [n ...]] --outfile filename
[--NoDataValue value] [--hideNoData] [--type datatype]
[--format gdal_format] [--creation-option option]
[--allBands [a-z, A-Z]] [--overwrite] [--debug] [--quiet]
[--color-table COLOR_TABLE]
[--extent {ignore,fail,union,intersect} | --projwin ulx uly lrx lry]
[--projectionCheck]
gdal_calc: error: the following arguments are required: --calc, --outfile
First problem: using three columns to show a two column table, gives
LMM NNO OPP QQR
Two columns are more sensible,
MM NN OO
i.e.,
[-L [filename ...]] [--L_band [n ...]]
[-M [filename ...]] [--M_band [n ...]]
[-N [filename ...]] [--N_band [n ...]]
Or even four columns are OK,
MMNN OOPP QQRR
if they don't go off the margin.
Second problem: showing all ( 26 + 26 ) * 2 overloads the user, reducing clarity. Maybe just show the first and last with some dots in the middle. In fact as I have done above.
Or, 10 times better would be just use the usage message one gets with gdal_calc --help:
$ gdal_calc --help
usage: gdal_calc [--help] [--help-general] --calc [expression ...]
[-A [filename ...]] [--A_band [n ...]] --outfile filename
[--NoDataValue value] [--hideNoData] [--type datatype]
[--format gdal_format] [--creation-option option]
[--allBands [a-z, A-Z]] [--overwrite] [--debug] [--quiet]
[--color-table COLOR_TABLE]
[--extent {ignore,fail,union,intersect} | --projwin ulx uly lrx lry]
[--projectionCheck]
I.e., the error usage message and --help usage message should be the same. Version 3.9.