curl/docs/cmdline-opts/MANPAGE.md

curl man page generator

This is the curl man page generator. It generates a single nroff man page output from the set of sources files in this directory.

There is one source file for each supported command line option. The output gets page-header prepended and page-footer appended. The format is described below.

Option files

Each command line option is described in a file named <long name>.d, where option name is written without any prefixing dashes. Like the file name for the -v, --verbose option is named verbose.d.

Each file has a set of meta-data and a body of text.

Meta-data

Added: (version number in which this was added)
Arg: (the argument the option takes)
c: (copyright line)
Example: (example command line, without "curl" and can use `$URL`)
Experimental: yes (if so)
Help: (short text for the --help output for this option)
Long: (long form name, without dashes)
Magic: (description of "magic" options)
Multi: single/append/boolean/mutex/custom (if used more than once)
Mutexed: (space separated list of options this overrides, no dashes)
Protocols: (space separated list for which protocols this option works)
Requires: (space separated list of features this requires, no dashes)
Scope: global (if the option is global)
See-also: (space separated list of related options, no dashes)
Short: (single letter, without dash)
SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
Tags: (space separated list)
--- (end of meta-data)

Body

The body of the description. Only refer to options with their long form option version, like --verbose. The output generator replaces such option with the correct markup that shows both short and long version.

Text written within *asterisks* is shown using italics. Text within two **asterisks** is shown using bold.

Text that is prefixed with a space is treated like an "example" and gets output in monospace.

Header and footer

page-header is the file that is output before the generated options output for the master man page.

page-footer is appended after all the individual options.

Generate

./gen.pl mainpage

This command outputs a single huge nroff file, meant to become curl.1. The full curl man page.

./gen.pl listhelp

Generates a full curl --help output for all known command line options.