Allow commands to explicitly state if they do, or do not take arbitrary arguments

cobra_test.go

@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ var cmdDeprecated = &Command{
 	Deprecated: "Please use echo instead",
 	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 	},
+	TakesArgs: None,
 }
 
 var cmdTimes = &Command{
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ var cmdTimes = &Command{
 	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		tt = args
 	},
+	TakesArgs: Arbitrary,
 }
 
 var cmdRootNoRun = &Command{
@@ -92,9 +94,20 @@ var cmdRootNoRun = &Command{
 }
 
 var cmdRootSameName = &Command{
-	Use:   "print",
-	Short: "Root with the same name as a subcommand",
-	Long:  "The root description for help",
+	Use:       "print",
+	Short:     "Root with the same name as a subcommand",
+	Long:      "The root description for help",
+	TakesArgs: None,
+}
+
+var cmdRootTakesArgs = &Command{
+	Use:   "root-with-args [random args]",
+	Short: "The root can run it's own function and takes args!",
+	Long:  "The root description for help, and some args",
+	Run: func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
+		tr = args
+	},
+	TakesArgs: Arbitrary,
 }
 
 var cmdRootWithRun = &Command{
@@ -396,6 +409,42 @@ func TestGrandChildSameName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRootTakesNoArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	c := initializeWithSameName()
+	c.AddCommand(cmdPrint, cmdEcho)
+	result := simpleTester(c, "illegal")
+
+	expectedError := `unknown command "illegal" for "print"`
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Error.Error(), expectedError) {
+		t.Errorf("exptected %v, got %v", expectedError, result.Error.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRootTakesArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cmdRootTakesArgs
+	result := simpleTester(c, "legal")
+
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected no error, but got %v", result.Error)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSubCmdTakesNoArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	result := fullSetupTest("deprecated illegal")
+
+	expectedError := `unknown command "illegal" for "cobra-test deprecated"`
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Error.Error(), expectedError) {
+		t.Errorf("exptected %v, got %v", expectedError, result.Error.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSubCmdTakesArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	noRRSetupTest("echo times one two")
+	if strings.Join(tt, " ") != "one two" {
+		t.Error("Command didn't parse correctly")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFlagLong(t *testing.T) {
 	noRRSetupTest("echo --intone=13 something here")
 

command.go

@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@ import (
 	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
 )
 
+type Args int
+
+const (
+	Legacy Args = iota
+	Arbitrary
+	None
+)
+
 // Command is just that, a command for your application.
 // eg.  'go run' ... 'run' is the command. Cobra requires
 // you to define the usage and description as part of your command
@@ -47,6 +55,8 @@ type Command struct {
 	Example string
 	// List of all valid non-flag arguments, used for bash completions *TODO* actually validate these
 	ValidArgs []string
+	// Does this command take arbitrary arguments
+	TakesArgs Args
 	// Custom functions used by the bash autocompletion generator
 	BashCompletionFunction string
 	// Is this command deprecated and should print this string when used?
@@ -416,12 +426,23 @@ func (c *Command) Find(args []string) (*Command, []string, error) {
 	commandFound, a := innerfind(c, args)
 	argsWOflags := stripFlags(a, commandFound)
 
-	// no subcommand, always take args
-	if !commandFound.HasSubCommands() {
+	// "Legacy" has some 'odd' characteristics.
+	// - root commands with no subcommands can take arbitrary arguments
+	// - root commands with subcommands will do subcommand validity checking
+	// - subcommands will always accept arbitrary arguments
+	if commandFound.TakesArgs == Legacy {
+		// no subcommand, always take args
+		if !commandFound.HasSubCommands() {
+			return commandFound, a, nil
+		}
+		// root command with subcommands, do subcommand checking
+		if commandFound == c && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
+			return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("unknown command %q for %q", argsWOflags[0], commandFound.CommandPath())
+		}
 		return commandFound, a, nil
 	}
-	// root command with subcommands, do subcommand checking
-	if commandFound == c && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
+
+	if commandFound.TakesArgs == None && len(argsWOflags) > 0 {
 		return commandFound, a, fmt.Errorf("unknown command %q for %q", argsWOflags[0], commandFound.CommandPath())
 	}