Short option name with single character or multiple characters have different result

[Brucedayton]

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have command with a required option argument with a short name (e.g -a).
2. Have command with a required option argument with a short name (e.g -bc).
   Run the command with the option argument but with no space after the argument name (e.g commandname -asdf).
   Run the command with the option argument but with no space after the argument name (e.g commandname -bcd).

Actual result:

1. Command runs and option argument -a has value "sdf".
2. error: unknown option '-bcd'

Can short option with single character report the same error like issue 2?

[shadowspawn]

The simple answer is short options should be a single character. This is not currently treated as an immediate error, but may be in the future.

From the README:

Each option can have a short flag (single character) and a long name

And listed as explicitly deprecated:

• https://github.com/tj/commander.js/blob/master/docs/deprecated.md#short-option-flag-longer-than-a-single-character

Short option flags like -ws were never supported, but the old README did not make this clear. The README now states that short options are a single character.

[shadowspawn]

(Thanks for the clear description.)

[shadowspawn]

Can short option with single character report the same error like issue 2?

No, an option with a required option argument looks for a value with or without a space. So these are equivalent:

util -a AAA
util -aAAA

This is a widely supported syntax, although I do consider it an advanced syntax. When you don't know about it, the lack of an error for an unlucky typo can be surprising.

[Brucedayton]

Thank you for the detailed explanation

[shadowspawn]

Closing in favour of #2235, adding an error for short flag longer than one character

[shadowspawn]

FYI, there is a recent issue asking to allow multiple character short options in Commander 13: #2307