Questions tagged [command-line]

Command-line interface or command-line interpreter, a means of interacting with a computer by means of textual commands and short scripts.

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Handling of command line errors in a GUI app

Q In a console application the normal behaviour for a usage error is to report it and exit. What is the 'correct' behaviour for a GUI application? should it exit or continue running? should it write ...
Bruce Adams's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
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How should a tool that generates a folder of files deal with existing files?

A CLI tool I am designing takes a path to a config file, as well as an output folder path. Based on the config, the tool which generate different files with different names. If some or all of the ...
Julian Lachniet's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
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What are the best practices for designing a UI when the system state might also be changed by a secondary client?

I'm designing the frontend for a system (lots of text boxes for numeric entry, a couple of on/off switches). This isn't proving too tough, but I'm encountering some difficulty because there's also a ...
Tom H's user avatar
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2 answers
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How should software tools interpret relative paths in settings files?

I write a lot of software tools to simplify tasks. Some of these follow a workflow like this: In the terminal I type the command to invoke the tool The tool reads some configuration file from disk ...
HerpDerpington's user avatar
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0 answers
142 views

What attributes make vim so enjoyable to program in?

I hope by parametrising this well enough, I can prevent it from being opinion based. I do believe there is a relatively objective answer. There may be more than one element to the answer. It's a ...
Clumsy cat's user avatar
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1 answer
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Duplicate tree-level description in CLI prompt

I am writing a tool that enables a user to traverse a tree-structured data set, which describes a set of roads, each road can have n lanes. The idle, starting prompt looks like this: Jeep@...
Decard Cain's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
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Should I allow non-Latin characters in filenames in a CLI application?

I'm currently designing a CLI application geared towards the more technical demographic of users that has a set of English subcommands, which (judging by other popular CLI applications such as git) ...
Qix - MONICA WAS MISTREATED's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
451 views

Is the command palette a UX tool only for power users? Or can they be used effectively by non-technical users?

Command Palette VS Code is equally accessible from the keyboard. The most important key combination to know is Ctrl+Shift+P, which brings up the Command Palette . From here, you have access to all of ...
Vijay's user avatar
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3 votes
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How can I make terminal UIs accessible?

I am looking for resources (software, studies, documentation) to help inform design decisions for making command line utilities accessible. Most of the programs I work on are command-line utilities. ...
Nick Santamaria's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
75 views

Transmitted/received packet counts in table... how to disambiguate direction?

I'm building a tool that runs on a text-based console. It's an application-specific proxy server, relaying data (generally, queries) from a small handful of clients to a hardware device, and the data ...
Brad's user avatar
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2 answers
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Command line activity output scroll direction

When developing a command line applications, one could choose between two designs: put the command prompt at the bottom, and the output window above it, where responses and command history are ...
Bergi's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
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Is it possible and save to integrate mindmap into Linux terminal ? --some suggestions and ideas from the outside of IT world [closed]

I am a pharmacist who works in a local hospital. In light of the increasing threat from cyber crime, I started seeking knowledge and more secured operating system in order to make myself and the ...
pharmboy's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
327 views

UX guidelines for writing into log files?

Do you know a set of guidelines for writing into a log file? The file can be long, it should contain a log message per line, including dates and system feedback / audit actions. I may contain user ...
Ricardo's user avatar
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3 votes
4 answers
372 views

When should colors be used in a command line application?

Most traditional command line tools (such as those found on a *nix system) have very simple outputs and usually never print in color, unless requested to, even if they do have the capability to do so. ...
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0 votes
1 answer
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Are commands different in terminals for other languages? [closed]

One of the arguments for why terminals / consoles are ubiquitous as a basic system interface for routers and operating systems is that it is easier to learn vs a graphical interface. I have to ask if ...
Dale Mahalko's user avatar
125 votes
15 answers
49k views

Why are terminal consoles still used?

As we all know, terminal consoles come from a time where there wasn't any chance of graphical interfaces, so the need for them is more than obvious. With the appearance of graphical interfaces, many ...
Devin's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What can I do to improve this help/usage message? [closed]

I'm currently developing a command line tool for unix. Since it is good practise to provide a decent help/usage message I decided to work on it a little. There are two variants of this message. The ...
BrainStone's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
633 views

Replacing all interaction in a complex UI with a single input field: Do successful implementations exist?

Main questions Can you provide examples of implementations that implement the suggested solution below? If yes, what are the benefits and drawbacks, especially as reported by users? As the SE ...
bjornte's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
136 views

Version Information In Command Line Tools

What is the UX value of having version information, in particular within (solely) command-line programs? In particular, I'm wondering about actual version information. I've noticed some commands, ...
mtraceur's user avatar
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3 votes
5 answers
4k views

What ASCII character to use for "align center"?

If I use < to represent the setting "align left" and > to represent the setting "align right" what symbol should I use for "align center"? Is there any de facto standard for this? The symbol ...
nwk's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
301 views

Resource recommendations for designing graphical + command line interfaces?

Perhaps one of the most prominent examples of a combined GUI + CLI is AutoCAD. AutoCAD has reached the point where (almost?) everything that can be done with the CLI can now be done with the GUI too, ...
bzm3r's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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What name would be intuitive for this output option?

I'm currently writing a command-line application which takes multiple arguments. Among those arguments are input and output filenames, modifiers and an option to choose the output. If the option is ...
Mast's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
3k views

Guidelines for Console UI (CLI)

I have to build a Console UI which will consist of a few main groups each consisting of nested labels and input fields. Are there any guidelines out there for making something like this easy to ...
Joel B's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
207 views

What's the best way to show multiple options for opening a codebase?

I'd like to give users of a desktop app I'm working on the option of accessing their local code either through the Windows Explorer/Mac Finder or through the command-line, what's the best way to do ...
Gasper's user avatar
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2 answers
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Affordances in quicksilver like command applications

I'm developing a command based application where the user asks an agent to do stuff using a Verb--Object--Parameters pattern. e.g. SCHEDULE a meeting with bob for Tuesday BOOK meeting room at 9pm ...
Jake's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
87 views

Phrasing a technical error in most clear way possible: XML config file not properly formatted

I’m developing a program for a group of scientists. The requirements are that user input will be given in the form of an XML configuration file. Also the requirements state that an XSD file will be ...
Celeritas's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
127 views

How should a CLI tool, that requires arguments, handle being called without arguments?

Context N.B. Herein, the terms "tool", "application", and "program" are used interchangeably. This question is not concerned with CLI tools that are intended to be useful when called without ...
user avatar
-1 votes
3 answers
433 views

Best Way to do a Character Counter [closed]

I am bound to an infinitely wide command line. I have one line of text that my user will likely spend hours analysing for whatever reason. It is important that they can tell very easily and very ...
Scruffy's user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
1 answer
133 views

The best way to get users to trust a website as an operating system [closed]

I've developed the basic architecture for a browser based operating system that exists to get users to interact with network resources the same way they are able to interact with their native systems ...
DennisKane's user avatar
23 votes
2 answers
2k views

When is it appropriate to require the user to type out the entire word "yes" rather than simply accept "y" at a command-line yes/no prompt?

I've seen several command-line applications, including OpenSSH, which require the user to type the entire word yes or no at a yes/no prompt, rejecting single-letter inputs like y. Here's an example: ...
bwDraco's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
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Default values for text-based confirmation prompt

In text-based environments, I've sometimes seen confirmation prompts in the form of Are you sure you want to _______? (Y/n) Generally, I've understood this to mean that Y is the default, and if I ...
Bobson's user avatar
  • 610
0 votes
2 answers
575 views

Dark on light versus light on dark for command line and development tools

I've been reading the very useful information in these two threads: Dark or white color theme is better for the eyes What are the negative and positive aspects of dark color scheme I understand the ...
Lily Dart's user avatar
13 votes
5 answers
371 views

Providing two versions of --help

I'm thinking of providing two versions of help message for my command-line programs (cmd --help). The first one is the short version and the one users consult more often, mostly for examples and the ...
Steven Haryanto's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
98 views

Ambiguous textual output

In this question on SO, the asker had to deal with some textual responses that could be in a rather ambiguous format. One person commented there that that could be interpreted in two different ways: ...
AJMansfield's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
189 views

CLI: How should I order sub-commands in usage messages?

I'm developing a tool with a command line interface. I am seeking the clearest, most obvious/user-friendly way of ordering the sub-commands in the usage/error messages. The nature of the tool is that ...
Mark Lawrence's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
255 views

How should I order arguments to my import/export commands?

I'm developing a distributed project management tool with a command line interface. I have two commands relating to initially copying a project to/from a hub. The export command looks like this: prog ...
Mark Lawrence's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
511 views

Masked password characters in a GUI vs terminal

In a GUI form, or for example a login box on a website, it's usual for masked characters to appear like ********* as you type out your password. But in terminal applications, for example ssh, this ...
wim's user avatar
  • 327
3 votes
4 answers
1k views

How to improve this retro CLI web app ux?

I want to improve the retro-ness and the coolness of this CLI (command-line interface) for a web app. I just want it to give the user the experience of typing into a 1980s library terminal, at, say, ...
Cris Stringfellow's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
10k views

Drawing a chessboard with unicode characters [closed]

Wondering the best unicode characters to draw a chessboard... particularly the right combination of square and row/col delimiters (if any) to give a readable layout in a terminal window. Here's what ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
278 views

CLI and Recall Memory [closed]

Is there any evidence that using a command line interface will improve a user's recall memory? or... Do users with better predispositions to recall abilities do better with command line interfaces?
DorkRawk's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
124 views

explaining/documenting an intricate mechanism

I'm torn between two worlds, I have this very intuitive (but intricate) mechanism in a command line tool, and I'm wondering as to what extent I should explain this. I can go the simple way, not ...
hroptatyr's user avatar
  • 101
1 vote
1 answer
286 views

What are the minimal guidelines for a dual command-line / gui interface?

I'm designing a website that has a constant CLI and optional GUI's for every functionality. What i'm basically doing is an automated form generated for each parameter and a description. I'm also ...
alfa64's user avatar
  • 241
1 vote
2 answers
193 views

How to design user friendly aliases for command line interface element identifiers?

I've run into this problem, i'm making a CLI that enables the user to make bookmarks, notes or comments on elements. Each element has it's internal unique identifiers and usual entity stuff. The ...
alfa64's user avatar
  • 241
18 votes
4 answers
806 views

Can I optimize this command-line interface?

I am designing a command-line interface for users and administrators to interact with an online radio system. One of the administrator tasks is assigning songs and albums to various genres. This is ...
William Jackson's user avatar