package cli
import (
"flag"
"fmt"
)
// StringFlag is a flag with type string
type StringFlag struct {
Name string
Aliases []string
Usage string
EnvVars []string
FilePath string
Required bool
Hidden bool
TakesFile bool
Value string
DefaultText string
Destination *string
HasBeenSet bool
Category string
}
// IsSet returns whether or not the flag has been set through env or file
func (f *StringFlag) IsSet() bool {
return f.HasBeenSet
// String returns a readable representation of this value
// (for usage defaults)
func (f *StringFlag) String() string {
return FlagStringer(f)
// Names returns the names of the flag
func (f *StringFlag) Names() []string {
return flagNames(f.Name, f.Aliases)
// IsRequired returns whether or not the flag is required
func (f *StringFlag) IsRequired() bool {
return f.Required
// TakesValue returns true of the flag takes a value, otherwise false
func (f *StringFlag) TakesValue() bool {
return true
// GetUsage returns the usage string for the flag
func (f *StringFlag) GetUsage() string {
return f.Usage
// GetCategory returns the category for the flag
func (f *StringFlag) GetCategory() string {
return f.Category
// GetValue returns the flags value as string representation and an empty
// string if the flag takes no value at all.
func (f *StringFlag) GetValue() string {
return f.Value
// IsVisible returns true if the flag is not hidden, otherwise false
func (f *StringFlag) IsVisible() bool {
return !f.Hidden
// GetDefaultText returns the default text for this flag
func (f *StringFlag) GetDefaultText() string {
if f.DefaultText != "" {
return f.DefaultText
if f.Value == "" {
return fmt.Sprintf("%q", f.Value)
// GetEnvVars returns the env vars for this flag
func (f *StringFlag) GetEnvVars() []string {
return f.EnvVars
// Apply populates the flag given the flag set and environment
func (f *StringFlag) Apply(set *flag.FlagSet) error {
if val, ok := flagFromEnvOrFile(f.EnvVars, f.FilePath); ok {
f.Value = val
f.HasBeenSet = true
for _, name := range f.Names() {
if f.Destination != nil {
set.StringVar(f.Destination, name, f.Value, f.Usage)
continue
set.String(name, f.Value, f.Usage)
return nil
// String looks up the value of a local StringFlag, returns
// "" if not found
func (c *Context) String(name string) string {
if fs := c.lookupFlagSet(name); fs != nil {
return lookupString(name, fs)
return ""
func lookupString(name string, set *flag.FlagSet) string {
f := set.Lookup(name)
if f != nil {
parsed := f.Value.String()
return parsed