get args cleanup

patchodon.py

@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ def do_post(args):
 
 
 def do_get(args):
+    # search & resolve the status ID on the instance (if configured)
+    # get context, all replies from the same author as the original status ID
+    # cycle the same for all hashes
+    # verify the full hash
+    # pass to git-am OR throw to a directory
     pass
 
 
@@ -142,10 +147,8 @@ def main():
 
     cmds = ap.add_subparsers(required=True, dest="command")
 
-    if "POST command":
-        post = cmds.add_parser("post")
     if "API token sources":
-            group = post.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
+        group = cmds.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
         group.add_argument(
             "--debug-api-token",
             help=(
@@ -160,21 +163,23 @@ def main():
             help="get the API token from environment PATCHODON_API_TOKEN",
         )
 
-        post.add_argument(
+    cmds.add_argument(
         "-i",
         "--instance-url",
         help=(
-                "mastodon instance URL to post to, such as"
-                " `https://mastodon.example/'"
+            "mastodon instance URL to use, such as `https://mastodon.example/'"
         ),
     )
+
+    if "POST command":
+        post = cmds.add_parser("post")
         post.add_argument(
             "-r",
             "--recipient",
             default=None,
             help=(
                 "user tag to prepend to all posted statuses (required esp. for"
-                " direct sending of statuses))"
+                " direct sending of statuses)"
             ),
         )
         post.add_argument(
@@ -182,8 +187,8 @@ def main():
             "--subject",
             default=None,
             help=(
-                "start text of the initial post (e.g. to @tag someone and name"
-                " the project and topic)"
+                "opening text of the initial post, ideally used to specify the"
+                " target project and patch topic"
             ),
         )
         post.add_argument(
@@ -209,7 +214,8 @@ def main():
             group = get.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
             group.add_argument(
                 "-a",
-                "--am",
+                "--run-git-am",
+                action="store_true",
                 help=(
                     "apply the patches immediately with git-am instead of"
                     " storing them in a directory"
@@ -217,25 +223,29 @@ def main():
             )
             group.add_argument(
                 "-C",
-                "--out-dir",
+                "--out-prefix",
+                default="./patchodon-",
                 help=(
-                    "output the patches into a given directory (by default, `.'"
+                    "write the numbered patchfiles to files with a given prefix"
+                    " (the default `./patchodon-' will produce files like"
+                    " `./patchodon-0001.patch')"
                 ),
             )
             get.add_argument(
                 "--overwrite",
                 action="store_true",
-                help="overwrite existing patch files instead of renaming",
+                help="overwrite existing patch files instead of failing",
             )
 
     ap.add_argument(
         "-c",
         "--config",
+        default=os.environ["HOME"] + "/.patchodon.ini",
         help=(
-            "specify a custom config INI file (it can specify a section"
-            " [patchodon] with keys instance_url and api_token), defaults to"
-            " `$HOME/.patchodon.ini'; specify /dev/null to avoid reading"
-            " configs"
+            "specify a custom config INI file that may specify a section"
+            " [patchodon] with keys instance_url and api_token; defaults to"
+            " `$HOME/.patchodon.ini', specify `/dev/null' to avoid config"
+            " loading"
         ),
     )
     args = ap.parse_args()