Commander.js: Add color support for help option

[hcodes]

[hcodes]

As example:

[tenorok]

+1

[arikon]

:+1:

[jd327]

+1

[kevyworks]

Still open after 3+ years? Anyhow commander can be extended using class myconsole extends Command and override, but also can be direct prototype which I did here: https://gist.github.com/kevyworks/653b40af20dc9a2509f865cd7fca1ef0 -- This issue should be closed already.

[shadowspawn]

This has gathered a few likes over the years, so not closing quite yet. I have some problems with choosing colors:

• color choice is quite personal
• color support in some Windows shells is poor
• light and dark themed shells makes color choice harder

I suspect it is too much trouble to build in directly, but perhaps commander can make it easier for people to customise the help output.

[shadowspawn]

This issue has not had any activity in over six months (other than a comment suggesting it be closed). It isn't likely to get acted on due to this report.

Feel free to open a new issue if it comes up again, with new information and renewed interest.

Thank you for your contributions.

[trusktr]

Sywac isn't well documented, but it has a way to specify colors like this:

// See http://sywac.io
const cli = require('sywac')

cli
  .string('-c, --cloudEnv <env>', {
    description: `The cloud env to use.`,
    required: true,
  })
  .version('-v, --version')
  .help('-h, --help')
  .showHelpByDefault()
  // Add colors to the help output!
  .style({
    usagePrefix: str => chalk().yellow(str.slice(0, 6)) + ' ' + chalk().bold(str.slice(7)),
    usageCommandPlaceholder: str => chalk().bold(str),
    usagePositionals: str => chalk().bold(str),
    usageArgsPlaceholder: str => chalk().bold(str),
    usageOptionsPlaceholder: str => chalk().bold(str),
    group: str => chalk().yellow(str),
    flags: str => chalk().bold(str),
    desc: str => chalk().cyan(str),
    hints: str => chalk().gray.dim(str),
    groupError: str => chalk().red.bold(str),
    flagsError: str => chalk().red.bold(str),
    descError: str => chalk().red.bold(str),
    hintsError: str => chalk().red(str),
    messages: str => chalk().red.bold(str), // these are error messages
  })
  .parseAndExit()
  .then(main)
  .catch(e => {
    console.error(e)
    process.exit(1)
  })

let c
function chalk() {
  // lazily load chalk, only used if help text displayed
  if (!c) c = require('chalk')
  return c
}

async function main(opts) {
  const {cloudEnv} = opts
  console.log(cloudEnv)
}

Example output with color:

It'd be neat to have some sort of color configurability for Commander.

[ivands]

It would still be nice to have a more simple api to change colors & styles

[shadowspawn]

#1365 is a major refactor of how the help is generated including user customisation, but not specifically about adding color support.