GH-99749: Add optional feature to suggest correct names (ArgumentParser)

Doc/library/argparse.rst

@@ -189,7 +189,8 @@ ArgumentParser objects
                           formatter_class=argparse.HelpFormatter, \
                           prefix_chars='-', fromfile_prefix_chars=None, \
                           argument_default=None, conflict_handler='error', \
-                          add_help=True, allow_abbrev=True, exit_on_error=True)
+                          add_help=True, allow_abbrev=True, exit_on_error=True, \
+                          suggest_on_error=False)
 
    Create a new :class:`ArgumentParser` object. All parameters should be passed
    as keyword arguments. Each parameter has its own more detailed description
@@ -231,6 +232,10 @@ ArgumentParser objects
    * exit_on_error_ - Determines whether or not ArgumentParser exits with
      error info when an error occurs. (default: ``True``)
 
+   * suggest_on_error_ - Enables suggestions for mistyped argument choices
+     and subparser names (default: ``False``)
+
+
    .. versionchanged:: 3.5
       *allow_abbrev* parameter was added.
 
@@ -740,6 +745,27 @@ If the user would like to catch errors manually, the feature can be enabled by s
 
 .. versionadded:: 3.9
 
+suggest_on_error
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+By default, when a user passes an invalid argument choice or subparser name,
+:class:`ArgumentParser` will exit with error info and list the permissible
+argument choices (if specified) or subparser names as part of the error message.
+
+If the user would like to enable suggestions for mistyped argument choices and
+subparser names, the feature can be enabled by setting ``suggest_on_error`` to
+``True``. Note that this only applies for arguments when the choices specified 
+are strings::
+
+   >>> parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Process some integers.', suggest_on_error=True)
+   >>> parser.add_argument('--action', choices=['sum', 'max'])
+   >>> parser.add_argument('integers', metavar='N', type=int, nargs='+',
+   ...                     help='an integer for the accumulator')
+   >>> parser.parse_args(['--action', 'sumn', 1, 2, 3])
+   tester.py: error: argument --action: invalid choice: 'sumn', maybe you meant 'sum'? (choose from 'sum', 'max')
+
+.. versionadded:: 3.14
+
 
 The add_argument() method
 -------------------------

Lib/argparse.py

@@ -1716,6 +1716,8 @@ class ArgumentParser(_AttributeHolder, _ActionsContainer):
         - allow_abbrev -- Allow long options to be abbreviated unambiguously
         - exit_on_error -- Determines whether or not ArgumentParser exits with
             error info when an error occurs
+        - suggest_on_error - Enables suggestions for mistyped argument choices
+            and subparser names. (default: ``False``)
     """
 
     def __init__(self,
@@ -1731,7 +1733,8 @@ def __init__(self,
                  conflict_handler='error',
                  add_help=True,
                  allow_abbrev=True,
-                 exit_on_error=True):
+                 exit_on_error=True,
+                 suggest_on_error=False):
 
         superinit = super(ArgumentParser, self).__init__
         superinit(description=description,
@@ -1751,6 +1754,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.add_help = add_help
         self.allow_abbrev = allow_abbrev
         self.exit_on_error = exit_on_error
+        self.suggest_on_error = suggest_on_error
 
         add_group = self.add_argument_group
         self._positionals = add_group(_('positional arguments'))
@@ -2555,9 +2559,23 @@ def _get_value(self, action, arg_string):
     def _check_value(self, action, value):
         # converted value must be one of the choices (if specified)
         if action.choices is not None and value not in action.choices:
-            args = {'value': value,
-                    'choices': ', '.join(map(repr, action.choices))}
+            args = {
+                'value': value,
+                'choices': ', '.join(map(repr, action.choices)),
+            }
             msg = _('invalid choice: %(value)r (choose from %(choices)s)')
+
+            all_strings = all(isinstance(choice, str) for choice in action.choices)
+
+            if self.suggest_on_error and isinstance(value, str) and all_strings:  
+                import difflib
+                suggestions = difflib.get_close_matches(value, action.choices, 1)
+                if suggestions:
+                    suggestions = suggestions[0]
+                    args['closest'] = suggestions
+                    msg = _('invalid choice: %(value)r, maybe you meant %(closest)r? '
+                            '(choose from %(choices)s)')
+
             raise ArgumentError(action, msg % args)
 
     # =======================

Lib/test/test_argparse.py

@@ -2172,6 +2172,94 @@ class TestNegativeNumber(ParserTestCase):
         ('--float -.5_000', NS(int=None, float=-0.5)),
     ]
 
+class TestArgumentAndSubparserSuggestions(TestCase):
+    """Test error handling and suggestion when a user makes a typo"""
+
+    def test_wrong_argument_error_with_suggestions(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=True)
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=['bar', 'baz'])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('bazz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "maybe you meant 'baz'? (choose from 'bar', 'baz')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_wrong_argument_error_no_suggestions(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=False)
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=['bar', 'baz'])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('bazz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "invalid choice: 'bazz' (choose from 'bar', 'baz')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_wrong_argument_subparsers_with_suggestions(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=True)
+        subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(required=True)
+        subparsers.add_parser('foo')
+        subparsers.add_parser('bar')
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('baz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "maybe you meant 'bar'? (choose from 'foo', 'bar')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_wrong_argument_subparsers_no_suggestions(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=False)
+        subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(required=True)
+        subparsers.add_parser('foo')
+        subparsers.add_parser('bar')
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('baz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "invalid choice: 'baz' (choose from 'foo', 'bar')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_wrong_argument_no_suggestion_implicit(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser()
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=['bar', 'baz'])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('bazz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "invalid choice: 'bazz' (choose from 'bar', 'baz')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_suggestions_choices_empty(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=True)
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=[])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('bazz',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "argument foo: invalid choice: 'bazz' (choose from )",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_suggestions_choices_int(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=True)
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=[1, 2])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('3',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "invalid choice: '3' (choose from 1, 2)",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+    def test_suggestions_choices_mixed_types(self):
+        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(suggest_on_error=True)
+        parser.add_argument('foo', choices=[1, '2'])
+        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
+            parser.parse_args(('3',))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "invalid choice: '3' (choose from 1, '2')",
+            excinfo.exception.stderr,
+        )
+
+
 class TestInvalidAction(TestCase):
     """Test invalid user defined Action"""
 
@@ -2390,18 +2478,6 @@ def test_required_subparsers_no_destination_error(self):
             'error: the following arguments are required: {foo,bar}\n$'
         )
 
-    def test_wrong_argument_subparsers_no_destination_error(self):
-        parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser()
-        subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(required=True)
-        subparsers.add_parser('foo')
-        subparsers.add_parser('bar')
-        with self.assertRaises(ArgumentParserError) as excinfo:
-            parser.parse_args(('baz',))
-        self.assertRegex(
-            excinfo.exception.stderr,
-            r"error: argument {foo,bar}: invalid choice: 'baz' \(choose from 'foo', 'bar'\)\n$"
-        )
-
     def test_optional_subparsers(self):
         parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser()
         subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest='command', required=False)
@@ -2726,7 +2802,7 @@ def test_single_parent_mutex(self):
         parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(parents=[self.ab_mutex_parent])
         self._test_mutex_ab(parser.parse_args)
 
-    def test_single_granparent_mutex(self):
+    def test_single_grandparent_mutex(self):
         parents = [self.ab_mutex_parent]
         parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(add_help=False, parents=parents)
         parser = ErrorRaisingArgumentParser(parents=[parser])

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-09-24-18-49-16.gh-issue-99749.gBDJX7.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Adds a feature to optionally enable suggestions for argument choices and subparser names if mistyped by the user