package cli
import (
"encoding/json"
"flag"
"fmt"
"strings"
)
// StringSlice wraps a []string to satisfy flag.Value
type StringSlice struct {
slice []string
hasBeenSet bool
}
// NewStringSlice creates a *StringSlice with default values
func NewStringSlice(defaults ...string) *StringSlice {
return &StringSlice{slice: append([]string{}, defaults...)}
// clone allocate a copy of self object
func (s *StringSlice) clone() *StringSlice {
n := &StringSlice{
slice: make([]string, len(s.slice)),
hasBeenSet: s.hasBeenSet,
copy(n.slice, s.slice)
return n
// Set appends the string value to the list of values
func (s *StringSlice) Set(value string) error {
if !s.hasBeenSet {
s.slice = []string{}
s.hasBeenSet = true
if strings.HasPrefix(value, slPfx) {
// Deserializing assumes overwrite
_ = json.Unmarshal([]byte(strings.Replace(value, slPfx, "", 1)), &s.slice)
return nil
s.slice = append(s.slice, value)
// String returns a readable representation of this value (for usage defaults)
func (s *StringSlice) String() string {
return fmt.Sprintf("%s", s.slice)
// Serialize allows StringSlice to fulfill Serializer
func (s *StringSlice) Serialize() string {
jsonBytes, _ := json.Marshal(s.slice)
return fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", slPfx, string(jsonBytes))
// Value returns the slice of strings set by this flag
func (s *StringSlice) Value() []string {
return s.slice
// Get returns the slice of strings set by this flag
func (s *StringSlice) Get() interface{} {
return *s
// StringSliceFlag is a flag with type *StringSlice
type StringSliceFlag struct {
Name string
Aliases []string
Usage string
EnvVars []string
FilePath string
Required bool
Hidden bool
TakesFile bool
Value *StringSlice
DefaultText string
HasBeenSet bool
Destination *StringSlice
// IsSet returns whether or not the flag has been set through env or file
func (f *StringSliceFlag) IsSet() bool {
return f.HasBeenSet
// String returns a readable representation of this value
// (for usage defaults)
func (f *StringSliceFlag) String() string {
return FlagStringer(f)
// Names returns the names of the flag
func (f *StringSliceFlag) Names() []string {
return flagNames(f.Name, f.Aliases)
// IsRequired returns whether or not the flag is required
func (f *StringSliceFlag) IsRequired() bool {
return f.Required
// TakesValue returns true of the flag takes a value, otherwise false
func (f *StringSliceFlag) TakesValue() bool {
return true
// GetUsage returns the usage string for the flag
func (f *StringSliceFlag) GetUsage() string {
return f.Usage
// GetValue returns the flags value as string representation and an empty
// string if the flag takes no value at all.
func (f *StringSliceFlag) GetValue() string {
if f.Value != nil {
return f.Value.String()
return ""
// IsVisible returns true if the flag is not hidden, otherwise false
func (f *StringSliceFlag) IsVisible() bool {
return !f.Hidden
// Apply populates the flag given the flag set and environment
func (f *StringSliceFlag) Apply(set *flag.FlagSet) error {
if f.Destination != nil && f.Value != nil {
f.Destination.slice = make([]string, len(f.Value.slice))
copy(f.Destination.slice, f.Value.slice)
if val, ok := flagFromEnvOrFile(f.EnvVars, f.FilePath); ok {
if f.Value == nil {
f.Value = &StringSlice{}
destination := f.Value
if f.Destination != nil {
destination = f.Destination
for _, s := range strings.Split(val, ",") {
if err := destination.Set(strings.TrimSpace(s)); err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("could not parse %q as string value for flag %s: %s", val, f.Name, err)
// Set this to false so that we reset the slice if we then set values from
// flags that have already been set by the environment.
destination.hasBeenSet = false
f.HasBeenSet = true
setValue := f.Destination
if f.Destination == nil {
setValue = f.Value.clone()
for _, name := range f.Names() {
set.Var(setValue, name, f.Usage)
// StringSlice looks up the value of a local StringSliceFlag, returns
// nil if not found
func (c *Context) StringSlice(name string) []string {
if fs := c.lookupFlagSet(name); fs != nil {
return lookupStringSlice(name, fs)
func lookupStringSlice(name string, set *flag.FlagSet) []string {
f := set.Lookup(name)
if f != nil {
if slice, ok := f.Value.(*StringSlice); ok {
return slice.Value()