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C/C++ API Documentation | 2026.1

# Options::operator[]( char opt )

Returns the value of a flag previously stored by `Options::Parse()`.

Virtual? | No |
Class | `Options` |
Arguments | `char opt` | The flag to check

## Notes

You must call `Options::Parse()` before using the `[]` operator.

If a flag does not occur on the command line, the `[]` operator returns `NULL`.

If a flag is provided without a value, the `[]` operator returns “true”.

If a flag appears once on a command line, the `[]` operator returns its argument. This is equivalent to calling `Options::GetValue()` with a `subopt` of zero.

The `[]` operator is sufficient for extracting the value of any flag which does not have more than one value associated with it. If a flag appears more than once on the same command line, you must use `Options::GetValue()`, specifying a different `subopt` value for each appearance.

## See also

- `Options::Parse()`

- `Options::GetValue()`

## Example

The following code parses some of the standard P4 Server global options and stores them in a `ClientApi` object.

If the -h option is supplied, the program also displays a brief message.

    #include <iostream>
    #include <clientapi.h>
    #include <error.h>
    #include <errornum.h>
    #include <msgclient.h>
    #include <options.h>

    int main( int argc, char **argv )
    {
        Error *e = new Error();
        ErrorId usage = { E_FAILED, "Usage: myapp -h for usage." };

        // Bypass argv[0] before parsing
        argc--;
        argv++;

        Options opts;
        opts.Parse( argc, argv, "hc:H:d:u:p:P:", OPT_ANY, usage, e );

        if ( e->Test() )
        {
            StrBuf msg;
            e->Fmt( &msg );   // See Error::Fmt()
            printf( "Error: %s", msg.Text() );
            return 1;
        }

        ClientApi client;
        StrPtr *s;

        // Get command line overrides of client, host, cwd, user, port, pass
        if ( s = opts[ 'h' ] ) printf ( "User asked for help\n" );
        if ( s = opts[ 'c' ] ) client.SetClient ( s );
        if ( s = opts[ 'H' ] ) client.SetHost ( s );
        if ( s = opts[ 'd' ] ) client.SetCwd ( s );
        if ( s = opts[ 'u' ] ) client.SetUser ( s );
        if ( s = opts[ 'p' ] ) client.SetPort ( s );
        if ( s = opts[ 'P' ] ) client.SetPassword ( s );

        // Perform desired operation(s) with your ClientApi here
        return 0;
    }

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