/** @page recipes Recipes Here, we'll give solution for some desires which seem common. @section recipe_parameter_validation How to check for correct option value types and assign them? There's the boost::program_options::parameter function. It returns a object, which, if passed as the second parameter to boost::program_options::option_description constructor, establishes correct validation routine. A simple example is @code options_description desc; desc.add_options() ("foo", parameter("arg"), "obscure option") ; @endcode If you pass an address of int variable as the second parameter of the parameter function, that variable will be assigned the options's value. @sa @ref variables_map @section recipe_lazy What if I don't want to declare any options? I'm not sure this is good idea. In particular, mistyped options will be silently ignored, leading to possible user surprises. Futher, the boost::program_options::cmdline class was specially designed to be very lightweight. Anyway, there's a version of the parse_command_line function which does not take an options_description instance. Also, the cmdline class ctor accepts an 'allow_unregistered' parameter. In both cases, all options will be allowed, and treated as if they have optional parameter. Note that with the default style, @verbatim --foo bar @endverbatim will be taken as option "foo" with value "bar", which is probably not correct. You should disable option parameter in the next token to avoid problems. @sa boost::program_options::cmdline @section recipe_multiple_modules I have several separate modules which must controlled by options. What am I to do? There are several solutions. @subsection sb1 Everything's global You can create a single instance of the options_description class somewhere near main. All the modules will export their own options using other options_description instances which can be added to the main one. After that, you'd parse command line and config files. The parsing results will be stored in one variables_map, which will be passed to all modules, which can work with their own options. @subsection sb2 Private option data Assume one of the modules does not like to see irrelevant options. For example, it outputs a configuration file for other program, and irrelevant options will confuse that program. It's possible to give the module only the options that it has registered. First, the module provides an options_description instance which is added to the global one. Second the command line is parsed to produce an options_and_arguments instance. Lastly, the store function is called. If passed the options_description instance previously returned by the module, it will store only options specified in that instance. @sa @ref multiple_modules @subsection sb3 Unique option names The most general solution would be to give unique names to options for different modules. One module will declare option "module1.server", and another would declare "module2.internal_checks". Of course, there can be global options like "verbosity", declared by main and used by all modules. This solution avoids all possible name clashes between modules. On the other hand, longer option names can be less user-friendly. This problem can be alleviated if module prefix is used only for less common option, needed for fine-tuning. */