Customize help output from optparse (or argparse)

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From	Thorsten Kampe <thorsten@thorstenkampe.de>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.python
Subject	Customize help output from optparse (or argparse)
Date	Thu, 12 May 2011 15:38:31 +0200
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Hi, 

I'm using optparse for a little Python script.

1. The output from "--help" is:
"""
Usage: script.py <arg>

script.py does something

Options:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
"""

I would prefer to have the description before the usage, like...
"""
script.py does something

Usage: script.py <arg>

Options:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
"""

2. The output from "--doesnotexit" is:
"""
Usage: script.py <arg>

script.py: error: no such option: --doesnotexist
"""

I would prefer to have the error first, then the usage and additionally 
the options, like...
"""
script.py: error: no such option: --doesnotexist

Usage: script.py <arg>

Options:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
"""

Is that possible with either optparse or the "new kid on the block" 
argparse. If so how?

Thorsten

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Thread

Customize help output from optparse (or argparse) Thorsten Kampe <thorsten@thorstenkampe.de> - 2011-05-12 15:38 +0200
  Re: Customize help output from optparse (or argparse) Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2011-05-12 22:22 +0200
    Re: Customize help output from optparse (or argparse) Karim <karim.liateni@free.fr> - 2011-05-12 22:40 +0200
    Re: Customize help output from optparse (or argparse) Thorsten Kampe <thorsten@thorstenkampe.de> - 2011-05-21 23:53 +0200

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