Lazy Python Argument Parsing

November 2nd, 2022
python, tech
When I'm writing real Python programs I use argparse. When I'm writing quick scripts, I destructure sys.argv[1:]. For example:

width, depth, height = sys.argv[1:]
...

Or, if I need to import the file:

def start(width, depth, height):
  ...

if __name__ == '__main__':
  start(*sys.argv[1:])

This is a very simple way of handling positional arguments. It ignores sys.argv[0] which is likely the name of the script, and then assigns the remaining arguments to the variables. If I provide the wrong number of arguments it's a bit shouty, but it's clear enough for a quick script and does remind me of the intended arguments:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "example.py", line 2, in 
    width, depth, height = sys.argv[1:]
ValueError: too many values to unpack (expected 3)

Comment via: facebook, lesswrong, substack

Recent posts on blogs I like:

Food Fridays: Blueberry Cobbler

Here is my blueberry cobber recipe, by request of William Friedman.

via Thing of Things January 16, 2026

Why I Don't Think My Braces Were Worth It

A couple weeks ago, I got my braces off. I kind of wish I had never had them, though. When I was younger, two of my teeth were sticking out, and they looked kind of funny. I thought that my teeth were just fine, and I didn't want to get braces. But s…

via Anna Wise's Blog Posts January 3, 2026

Family Christmas

Unlike many families my family celebrates Christmas with really really a lot of our family. This past year there were about 29 people at my Grandfather's house in the week around Christmas. I know what you're thinking: how does that work? It's…

via Lily Wise's Blog Posts January 3, 2026

more     (via openring)