update for zig 0.14.0

The enum member name case was changed in
ziglang/zig@099f3c4039. This appears to
be the only change required to bring us up to compatibility with zig
0.12.0-dev.3561+f45ba7d0c.

build.zig

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 
 pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
-    const target: std.zig.CrossTarget = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+    const target: std.Build.ResolvedTarget = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
     const optimize: std.builtin.Mode = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});
 
     const noclip = b.addModule("noclip", .{
-        .source_file = .{ .path = "source/noclip.zig" },
+        .root_source_file = b.path("source/noclip.zig"),
     });
 
     demo(b, noclip, target, optimize);
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const test_step = b.step("test", "Run unit tests");
     const tests = b.addTest(.{
         .name = "tests",
-        .root_source_file = .{ .path = "source/noclip.zig" },
+        .root_source_file = b.path("source/noclip.zig"),
         .target = target,
         .optimize = optimize,
     });
@@ -24,18 +24,18 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
 fn demo(
     b: *std.Build,
     noclip: *std.Build.Module,
-    target: std.zig.CrossTarget,
+    target: std.Build.ResolvedTarget,
     optimize: std.builtin.Mode,
 ) void {
     const demo_step = b.step("demo", "Build and install CLI demo program");
 
     const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
         .name = "noclip-demo",
-        .root_source_file = .{ .path = "demo/demo.zig" },
+        .root_source_file = b.path("demo/demo.zig"),
         .target = target,
         .optimize = optimize,
     });
-    exe.addModule("noclip", noclip);
+    exe.root_module.addImport("noclip", noclip);
     const install_demo = b.addInstallArtifact(exe, .{});
 
     demo_step.dependOn(&install_demo.step);

build.zig.zon

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+.{
+    .name = .NOCLIP,
+    .fingerprint = 0xE4C223E8CB9C8ADF,
+    .version = "0.1.0-pre",
+    .minimum_zig_version = "0.14.0",
+    .dependencies = .{},
+    .paths = .{
+        "source",
+        "build.zig",
+        "build.zig.zon",
+        "license",
+    },
+}

demo/demo.zig

@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@ const Choice = enum { first, second };
 const cli = cmd: {
     var cmd = CommandBuilder(*u32){
         .description =
-        \\The definitive noclip demonstration utility
+        \\The definitive noclip demonstration utility.
         \\
         \\This command demonstrates the functionality of the noclip library. cool!
         \\
-        \\> // implementing factorial recursively is a silly thing to do
-        \\> pub fn fact(n: u64) u64 {
-        \\>     if (n == 0) return 1;
-        \\>     return n*fact(n - 1);
-        \\> }
+        \\>     // implementing factorial recursively is a silly thing to do
+        \\>     pub fn fact(n: u64) u64 {
+        \\>         if (n == 0) return 1;
+        \\>         return n*fact(n - 1);
+        \\>     }
         \\
         \\Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
         \\incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
@@ -135,7 +135,20 @@ pub fn main() !u8 {
     try base.addSubcommand("main", try cli.createInterface(allocator, cliHandler, &context));
     try base.addSubcommand("other", try subcommand.createInterface(allocator, subHandler, &sc));
 
-    try base.execute();
+    const group = try noclip.commandGroup(allocator, .{ .description = "final level of a deeply nested subcommand" });
+    const subcon = try noclip.commandGroup(allocator, .{ .description = "third level of a deeply nested subcommand" });
+    const nested = try noclip.commandGroup(allocator, .{ .description = "second level of a deeply nested subcommand" });
+    const deeply = try noclip.commandGroup(allocator, .{ .description = "start of a deeply nested subcommand" });
+    try base.addSubcommand("deeply", deeply);
+    try deeply.addSubcommand("nested", nested);
+    try nested.addSubcommand("subcommand", subcon);
+    try subcon.addSubcommand("group", group);
+    try group.addSubcommand("run", try cli.createInterface(allocator, cliHandler, &context));
+
+    base.execute() catch |err| {
+        std.io.getStdErr().writeAll(base.getParseError()) catch {};
+        return err;
+    };
 
     return 0;
 }

readme.adoc

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ ____
 
 == Hello
 
-Requires Zig `0.11.x`.
+Requires Zig `0.13.x`. May work with `0.12.x`.
 
 === Features
 

source/command.zig

@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ pub const InterfaceContextCategory = union(enum) {
 
     pub fn fromType(comptime ContextType: type) InterfaceContextCategory {
         return switch (@typeInfo(ContextType)) {
-            .Void => .empty,
-            .Pointer => |info| if (info.size == .Slice) .{ .value = ContextType } else .{ .pointer = ContextType },
+            .void => .empty,
+            .pointer => |info| if (info.size == .slice) .{ .value = ContextType } else .{ .pointer = ContextType },
             // technically, i0, u0, and struct{} should be treated as empty, probably
             else => .{ .value = ContextType },
         };
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
             };
         }
 
-        pub usingnamespace InterfaceCreator(@This());
+        pub const ifc = InterfaceCreator(@This());
+        pub const createInterface = ifc.createInterface;
 
         fn _createInterfaceImpl(
             comptime self: @This(),
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                             // [:0]const u8.
                             .name = short ++ "",
                             .type = void,
-                            .default_value = null,
+                            .default_value_ptr = null,
                             .is_comptime = false,
                             .alignment = 0,
                         }};
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                         tag_fields = tag_fields ++ &[_]StructField{.{
                             .name = long ++ "",
                             .type = void,
-                            .default_value = null,
+                            .default_value_ptr = null,
                             .is_comptime = false,
                             .alignment = 0,
                         }};
@@ -394,7 +395,7 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                         env_var_fields = env_var_fields ++ &[_]StructField{.{
                             .name = env_var ++ "",
                             .type = void,
-                            .default_value = null,
+                            .default_value_ptr = null,
                             .is_comptime = false,
                             .alignment = 0,
                         }};
@@ -439,28 +440,28 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                     fields = fields ++ &[_]StructField{.{
                         .name = param.name ++ "",
                         .type = FieldType,
-                        .default_value = @ptrCast(default),
+                        .default_value_ptr = @ptrCast(default),
                         .is_comptime = false,
                         .alignment = @alignOf(FieldType),
                     }};
                 }
 
-                _ = @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-                    .layout = .Auto,
+                _ = @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+                    .layout = .auto,
                     .fields = tag_fields,
                     .decls = &.{},
                     .is_tuple = false,
                 } });
 
-                _ = @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-                    .layout = .Auto,
+                _ = @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+                    .layout = .auto,
                     .fields = env_var_fields,
                     .decls = &.{},
                     .is_tuple = false,
                 } });
 
-                return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-                    .layout = .Auto,
+                return @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+                    .layout = .auto,
                     .fields = fields,
                     .decls = &.{},
                     .is_tuple = false,
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                     fields = &(@as([fields.len]StructField, fields[0..fields.len].*) ++ [1]StructField{.{
                         .name = param.name ++ "",
                         .type = FieldType,
-                        .default_value = @ptrCast(&@as(
+                        .default_value_ptr = @ptrCast(&@as(
                             FieldType,
                             if (PType.value_count == .count) 0 else null,
                         )),
@@ -518,8 +519,8 @@ pub fn CommandBuilder(comptime UserContext: type) type {
                     }});
                 }
 
-                return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-                    .layout = .Auto,
+                return @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+                    .layout = .auto,
                     .fields = fields,
                     .decls = &.{},
                     .is_tuple = false,

source/converters.zig

@@ -21,16 +21,16 @@ pub fn DefaultConverter(comptime gen: ParameterGenerics) ?ConverterSignature(gen
     return if (comptime gen.multi)
         MultiConverter(gen)
     else switch (@typeInfo(gen.OutputType)) {
-        .Bool => FlagConverter(gen),
-        .Int => IntConverter(gen),
-        .Pointer => |info| if (info.size == .Slice and info.child == u8)
+        .bool => FlagConverter(gen),
+        .int => IntConverter(gen),
+        .pointer => |info| if (info.size == .slice and info.child == u8)
             StringConverter(gen)
         else
             null,
-        .Enum => |info| if (info.is_exhaustive) ChoiceConverter(gen) else null,
+        .@"enum" => |info| if (info.is_exhaustive) ChoiceConverter(gen) else null,
         // TODO: how to handle structs with field defaults? maybe this should only work
         // for tuples, which I don't think can have defaults.
-        .Struct => |info| if (gen.value_count == .fixed and gen.value_count.fixed == info.fields.len)
+        .@"struct" => |info| if (gen.value_count == .fixed and gen.value_count.fixed == info.fields.len)
             StructConverter(gen)
         else
             null,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn IntConverter(comptime gen: ParameterGenerics) ConverterSignature(gen) {
 
 fn StructConverter(comptime gen: ParameterGenerics) ConverterSignature(gen) {
     const StructType = gen.OutputType;
-    const type_info = @typeInfo(StructType).Struct;
+    const type_info = @typeInfo(StructType).@"struct";
     const Intermediate = gen.IntermediateType();
 
     return struct {
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ fn StructConverter(comptime gen: ParameterGenerics) ConverterSignature(gen) {
                 const Converter = comptime DefaultConverter(
                     ncmeta.copyStruct(ParameterGenerics, gen, .{
                         .OutputType = field.type,
-                        .value_count = .{ .fixed = 1 },
+                        .value_count = @as(parameters.ValueCount, .{ .fixed = 1 }),
                     }),
                 ) orelse
                     @compileError("cannot get converter for field" ++ field.name);

source/errors.zig

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub const ParseError = error{
     UnknownLongTagParameter,
     UnknownShortTagParameter,
     RequiredParameterMissing,
+    OutOfMemory,
 };
 
 pub const NoclipError = ParseError || ConversionError;

source/help.zig

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ pub fn StructuredPrinter(comptime Writer: type) type {
 
             // this assumes output stream has already had the first line properly
             // indented.
-            var splitter = std.mem.split(u8, text, "\n");
+            var splitter = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, text, '\n');
 
             var location: usize = indent;
             while (splitter.next()) |line| {
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ pub fn optInfo(comptime command: anytype) CommandHelp {
                 // than just the tag name. Roll our own eventually.
                 blk: {
                     switch (@typeInfo(@TypeOf(def))) {
-                        .Pointer => |info| if (info.size == .Slice and info.child == u8) {
+                        .pointer => |info| if (info.size == .Slice and info.child == u8) {
                             writer.print("{s}", .{def}) catch @compileError("no");
                             break :blk;
                         },

source/meta.zig

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub fn UpdateDefaults(comptime input: type, comptime defaults: anytype) type {
     comptime {
         const inputInfo = @typeInfo(input);
         const fieldcount = switch (inputInfo) {
-            .Struct => |spec| blk: {
+            .@"struct" => |spec| blk: {
                 if (spec.decls.len > 0) {
                     @compileError("UpdateDefaults only works on structs " ++
                         "without decls due to limitations in @Type.");
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub fn UpdateDefaults(comptime input: type, comptime defaults: anytype) type {
         };
 
         var fields: [fieldcount]StructField = undefined;
-        for (inputInfo.Struct.fields, 0..) |field, idx| {
+        for (inputInfo.@"struct".fields, 0..) |field, idx| {
             fields[idx] = .{
                 .name = field.name,
                 .field_type = field.field_type,
@@ -29,27 +29,27 @@ pub fn UpdateDefaults(comptime input: type, comptime defaults: anytype) type {
                 // setting null defaults work, and it converts comptime_int to
                 // the appropriate type, which is nice for ergonomics. Not sure
                 // if it introduces weird edge cases. Probably it's fine?
-                .default_value = if (@hasField(@TypeOf(defaults), field.name))
+                .default_value_ptr = if (@hasField(@TypeOf(defaults), field.name))
                     @ptrCast(&@as(field.field_type, @field(defaults, field.name)))
                 else
-                    field.default_value,
+                    field.default_value_ptr,
                 .is_comptime = field.is_comptime,
                 .alignment = field.alignment,
             };
         }
 
-        return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-            .layout = inputInfo.Struct.layout,
-            .backing_integer = inputInfo.Struct.backing_integer,
+        return @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+            .layout = inputInfo.@"struct".layout,
+            .backing_integer = inputInfo.@"struct".backing_integer,
             .fields = &fields,
-            .decls = inputInfo.Struct.decls,
-            .is_tuple = inputInfo.Struct.is_tuple,
+            .decls = inputInfo.@"struct".decls,
+            .is_tuple = inputInfo.@"struct".is_tuple,
         } });
     }
 }
 
 pub fn enumLength(comptime T: type) comptime_int {
-    return @typeInfo(T).Enum.fields.len;
+    return @typeInfo(T).@"enum".fields.len;
 }
 
 pub fn partition(comptime T: type, input: []const T, wedge: []const []const T) [3][]const T {
@@ -210,11 +210,11 @@ pub fn MutatingZSplitter(comptime T: type) type {
 pub fn copyStruct(comptime T: type, source: T, field_overrides: anytype) T {
     var result: T = undefined;
 
-    comptime for (@typeInfo(@TypeOf(field_overrides)).Struct.fields) |field| {
+    comptime for (@typeInfo(@TypeOf(field_overrides)).@"struct".fields) |field| {
         if (!@hasField(T, field.name)) @compileError("override contains bad field" ++ field);
     };
 
-    inline for (comptime @typeInfo(T).Struct.fields) |field| {
+    inline for (comptime @typeInfo(T).@"struct".fields) |field| {
         if (comptime @hasField(@TypeOf(field_overrides), field.name))
             @field(result, field.name) = @field(field_overrides, field.name)
         else
@@ -257,15 +257,15 @@ pub const TupleBuilder = struct {
                 fields[idx] = .{
                     .name = std.fmt.comptimePrint("{d}", .{idx}),
                     .type = Type,
-                    .default_value = null,
+                    .default_value_ptr = null,
                     // TODO: is this the right thing to do?
                     .is_comptime = false,
                     .alignment = if (@sizeOf(Type) > 0) @alignOf(Type) else 0,
                 };
             }
 
-            return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
-                .layout = .Auto,
+            return @Type(.{ .@"struct" = .{
+                .layout = .auto,
                 .fields = &fields,
                 .decls = &.{},
                 .is_tuple = true,

source/parameters.zig

@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ pub const ParameterGenerics = struct {
     pub fn fixedValueCount(comptime OutputType: type, comptime value_count: ValueCount) ValueCount {
         return comptime if (value_count == .fixed)
             switch (@typeInfo(OutputType)) {
-                .Struct => |info| .{ .fixed = info.fields.len },
-                .Array => |info| .{ .fixed = info.len },
+                .@"struct" => |info| .{ .fixed = info.fields.len },
+                .array => |info| .{ .fixed = info.len },
                 // TODO: this is a bit sloppy, but it can be refined later.
                 // .Pointer covers slices, which may be a many-to-many conversion.
-                .Pointer => value_count,
+                .pointer => value_count,
                 else => .{ .fixed = 1 },
             }
         else
@@ -223,6 +223,26 @@ fn OptionType(comptime generics: ParameterGenerics) type {
         /// want weird things to happen.
         flag_bias: FlagBias,
 
+        pub fn describe(self: @This(), allocator: std.mem.Allocator) std.mem.Allocator.Error![]const u8 {
+            var buf = std.ArrayList(u8).init(allocator);
+
+            try buf.append('"');
+            try buf.appendSlice(self.name);
+            try buf.append('"');
+            if (self.short_tag != null or self.long_tag != null) {
+                try buf.appendSlice(" (");
+                if (self.short_tag) |short|
+                    try buf.appendSlice(short);
+                if (self.short_tag != null and self.long_tag != null)
+                    try buf.appendSlice(", ");
+                if (self.long_tag) |long|
+                    try buf.appendSlice(long);
+                try buf.append(')');
+            }
+
+            return try buf.toOwnedSlice();
+        }
+
         pub fn IntermediateValue(comptime _: @This()) type {
             return generics.IntermediateValue();
         }

source/parser.zig

@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ const NoclipError = errors.NoclipError;
 pub const ParserInterface = struct {
     const Vtable = struct {
         execute: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, context: *anyopaque) anyerror!void,
-        parse: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, context: *anyopaque, name: []const u8, args: [][:0]u8, env: std.process.EnvMap) anyerror!void,
-        finish: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, context: *anyopaque) anyerror!void,
+        parse: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, context: *anyopaque, name: []const u8, args: [][:0]u8, env: std.process.EnvMap) anyerror!?ParseResult,
+        finish: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, context: *anyopaque) anyerror!?ParserInterface,
+        getParseError: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque) []const u8,
         addSubcommand: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, name: []const u8, subcommand: ParserInterface) std.mem.Allocator.Error!void,
         getSubcommand: *const fn (parser: *anyopaque, name: []const u8) ?ParserInterface,
         describe: *const fn () []const u8,
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ pub const ParserInterface = struct {
                 .execute = ParserType._wrapExecute,
                 .parse = ParserType._wrapParse,
                 .finish = ParserType._wrapFinish,
+                .getParseError = ParserType._wrapGetParseError,
                 .addSubcommand = ParserType._wrapAddSubcommand,
                 .getSubcommand = ParserType._wrapGetSubcommand,
                 .describe = ParserType._wrapDescribe,
@@ -44,14 +46,18 @@ pub const ParserInterface = struct {
         return try self.methods.execute(self.parser, self.context);
     }
 
-    pub fn parse(self: @This(), name: []const u8, args: [][:0]u8, env: std.process.EnvMap) anyerror!void {
+    pub fn parse(self: @This(), name: []const u8, args: [][:0]u8, env: std.process.EnvMap) anyerror!?ParseResult {
         return try self.methods.parse(self.parser, self.context, name, args, env);
     }
 
-    pub fn finish(self: @This()) anyerror!void {
+    pub fn finish(self: @This()) anyerror!?ParserInterface {
         return try self.methods.finish(self.parser, self.context);
     }
 
+    pub fn getParseError(self: @This()) []const u8 {
+        return self.methods.getParseError(self.parser);
+    }
+
     pub fn addSubcommand(self: @This(), name: []const u8, subcommand: ParserInterface) std.mem.Allocator.Error!void {
         return try self.methods.addSubcommand(self.parser, name, subcommand);
     }
@@ -74,6 +80,7 @@ pub const ParserInterface = struct {
 };
 
 pub const CommandMap = std.StringArrayHashMap(ParserInterface);
+const ParseResult = struct { name: []const u8, args: [][:0]u8, parser: ParserInterface };
 
 // the parser is generated by the bind method of the CommandBuilder, so we can
 // be extremely type-sloppy here, which simplifies the signature.
@@ -95,6 +102,7 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
         allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
         subcommands: CommandMap,
         subcommand: ?ParserInterface = null,
+        error_message: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8) = .{},
         help_builder: help.HelpBuilder(command),
 
         // This is a slightly annoying hack to work around the fact that there's no way
@@ -106,13 +114,59 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
         // cognitively clutter this struct.
         pub usingnamespace InterfaceWrappers(@This());
 
+        pub fn execute(self: *@This(), context: UserContext) anyerror!void {
+            const args = std.process.argsAlloc(self.allocator) catch |err| {
+                try self.error_message.appendSlice(
+                    self.allocator,
+                    "Failed to allocate process arg vector\n",
+                );
+                return err;
+            };
+            const env = std.process.getEnvMap(self.allocator) catch |err| {
+                try self.error_message.appendSlice(
+                    self.allocator,
+                    "Failed to allocate process environment variable map\n",
+                );
+                return err;
+            };
+
+            if (args.len < 1) {
+                try self.error_message.appendSlice(
+                    self.allocator,
+                    "The argument list for the base CLI entry point is empty.\n",
+                );
+                return ParseError.EmptyArgs;
+            }
+
+            self.progname = std.fs.path.basename(args[0]);
+
+            {
+                var subc = try self.subparse(context, self.progname.?, args[1..], env);
+                while (subc) |next| {
+                    subc = next.parser.parse(next.name, next.args, env) catch |err| {
+                        try self.error_message.appendSlice(self.allocator, next.parser.getParseError());
+                        return err;
+                    };
+                }
+            }
+            {
+                var subc = try self.finish(context);
+                while (subc) |next| {
+                    subc = next.finish() catch |err| {
+                        try self.error_message.appendSlice(self.allocator, next.getParseError());
+                        return err;
+                    };
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         pub fn subparse(
             self: *@This(),
             context: UserContext,
             name: []const u8,
             args: [][:0]u8,
             env: std.process.EnvMap,
-        ) anyerror!void {
+        ) anyerror!?ParseResult {
             const sliceto = try self.parse(name, args);
             try self.readEnvironment(env);
             try self.convertEager(context);
@@ -121,21 +175,30 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 const grafted_name = try std.mem.join(
                     self.allocator,
                     " ",
-                    &[_][]const u8{ name, args[sliceto - 1] },
+                    &.{ name, args[sliceto - 1] },
                 );
-                try subcommand.parse(grafted_name, args[sliceto..], env);
+                return .{ .name = grafted_name, .args = args[sliceto..], .parser = subcommand };
             } else if (self.subcommands.count() > 0 and command.subcommand_required) {
                 const stderr = std.io.getStdErr().writer();
-                try stderr.writeAll("A subcommand is required.\n\n");
+                try stderr.print("'{s}' requires a subcommand.\n\n", .{name});
 
                 self.printHelp(name);
             }
+
+            return null;
         }
 
-        pub fn finish(self: *@This(), context: UserContext) anyerror!void {
+        pub fn finish(self: *@This(), context: UserContext) anyerror!?ParserInterface {
             try self.convert(context);
             try callback(context, self.output);
-            if (self.subcommand) |subcommand| try subcommand.finish();
+            return self.subcommand;
+        }
+
+        pub fn getParseError(self: @This()) []const u8 {
+            return if (self.error_message.items.len == 0)
+                "An unexpected error occurred.\n"
+            else
+                self.error_message.items;
         }
 
         pub fn deinit(self: @This()) void {
@@ -158,18 +221,6 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
             return self.subcommands.get(name);
         }
 
-        pub fn execute(self: *@This(), context: UserContext) anyerror!void {
-            const args = try std.process.argsAlloc(self.allocator);
-            const env = try std.process.getEnvMap(self.allocator);
-
-            if (args.len < 1) return ParseError.EmptyArgs;
-
-            self.progname = std.fs.path.basename(args[0]);
-
-            try self.subparse(context, self.progname.?, args[1..], env);
-            try self.finish(context);
-        }
-
         fn printValue(self: @This(), value: anytype, comptime indent: []const u8) void {
             if (comptime @hasField(@TypeOf(value), "items")) {
                 std.debug.print("{s}[\n", .{indent});
@@ -279,6 +330,10 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 }
             }
 
+            try self.error_message.writer(self.allocator).print(
+                "Could not parse command line: unknown option \"{s}\"\n",
+                .{arg},
+            );
             return ParseError.UnknownLongTagParameter;
         }
 
@@ -301,14 +356,23 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
 
                 if (arg == tag[1]) {
                     if (comptime !PType.is_flag)
-                        if (remaining > 0)
+                        if (remaining > 0) {
+                            try self.error_message.writer(self.allocator).print(
+                                "Could not parse command line: \"-{c}\" is fused to another flag, but it requires a value\n",
+                                .{arg},
+                            );
                             return ParseError.FusedShortTagValueMissing;
+                        };
 
                     try self.applyParamValues(param, argit, false);
                     return;
                 }
             }
 
+            try self.error_message.writer(self.allocator).print(
+                "Could not parse command line: unknown option \"-{c}\"\n",
+                .{arg},
+            );
             return ParseError.UnknownShortTagParameter;
         }
 
@@ -335,7 +399,20 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 arg_index += 1;
             }
 
-            return self.subcommands.get(arg) orelse ParseError.ExtraValue;
+            return self.subcommands.get(arg) orelse {
+                const writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                if (self.subcommands.count() > 0)
+                    try writer.print(
+                        "Could not parse command line: unknown subcommand \"{s}\"\n",
+                        .{arg},
+                    )
+                else
+                    try writer.print(
+                        "Could not parse command line: unexpected extra argument \"{s}\"\n",
+                        .{arg},
+                    );
+                return ParseError.ExtraValue;
+            };
         }
 
         fn pushIntermediateValue(
@@ -350,7 +427,7 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 if (@field(self.intermediate, param.name) == null) {
                     @field(self.intermediate, param.name) = gen.IntermediateType().init(self.allocator);
                 }
-                @field(self.intermediate, param.name).?.append(value) catch return ParseError.UnexpectedFailure;
+                try @field(self.intermediate, param.name).?.append(value);
             } else if (comptime @TypeOf(param).G.nonscalar()) {
                 if (@field(self.intermediate, param.name)) |list| list.deinit();
                 @field(self.intermediate, param.name) = value;
@@ -369,19 +446,54 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 .flag => try self.pushIntermediateValue(param, comptime param.flag_bias.string()),
                 .count => @field(self.intermediate, param.name) += 1,
                 .fixed => |count| switch (count) {
-                    0 => return ParseError.ExtraValue,
-                    1 => try self.pushIntermediateValue(param, argit.next() orelse return ParseError.MissingValue),
+                    0 => {
+                        const writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                        const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                        defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                        try writer.print(
+                            "Could not parse command line: {s} takes no value.\n",
+                            .{desc},
+                        );
+                        return ParseError.ExtraValue;
+                    },
+                    1 => try self.pushIntermediateValue(param, argit.next() orelse {
+                        const writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                        const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                        defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                        try writer.print(
+                            "Could not parse command line: {s} requires a value.\n",
+                            .{desc},
+                        );
+                        return ParseError.MissingValue;
+                    }),
                     else => |total| {
-                        var list = std.ArrayList([:0]const u8).initCapacity(self.allocator, total) catch
-                            return ParseError.UnexpectedFailure;
+                        var list = try std.ArrayList([:0]const u8).initCapacity(self.allocator, total);
 
                         var consumed: u32 = 0;
                         while (consumed < total) : (consumed += 1) {
-                            const next = argit.next() orelse return ParseError.MissingValue;
+                            const next = argit.next() orelse {
+                                const writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                                const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                                defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                                try writer.print(
+                                    "Could not parse command line: {s} is missing one or more values (need {d}, got {d}).\n",
+                                    .{ desc, total, consumed },
+                                );
+                                return ParseError.MissingValue;
+                            };
 
-                            list.append(next) catch return ParseError.UnexpectedFailure;
+                            list.appendAssumeCapacity(next);
+                        }
+                        if (bounded and argit.next() != null) {
+                            const writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                            const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                            defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                            try writer.print(
+                                "Could not parse command line: {s} has too many values (need {d}).\n",
+                                .{ desc, total },
+                            );
+                            return ParseError.ExtraValue;
                         }
-                        if (bounded and argit.next() != null) return ParseError.ExtraValue;
 
                         try self.pushIntermediateValue(param, list);
                     },
@@ -403,8 +515,7 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
                 if (comptime param.env_var) |env_var| blk: {
                     if (@field(self.intermediate, param.name) != null) break :blk;
 
-                    const val = self.allocator.dupeZ(u8, env.get(env_var) orelse break :blk) catch
-                        return ParseError.UnexpectedFailure;
+                    const val = try self.allocator.dupeZ(u8, env.get(env_var) orelse break :blk);
 
                     if (comptime @TypeOf(param).G.value_count == .flag) {
                         try self.pushIntermediateValue(param, val);
@@ -438,19 +549,27 @@ pub fn Parser(comptime command: anytype, comptime callback: anytype) type {
 
                 if (comptime @TypeOf(param).has_output) {
                     @field(self.output, param.name) = param.converter(context, intermediate, writer) catch |err| {
-                        const stderr = std.io.getStdErr().writer();
-                        stderr.print("Error parsing option \"{s}\": {s}\n", .{ param.name, buffer.items }) catch {};
+                        const err_writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                        const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                        defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                        try err_writer.print("Error parsing option {s}: {s}\n", .{ desc, buffer.items });
                         return err;
                     };
                 } else {
                     param.converter(context, intermediate, writer) catch |err| {
-                        const stderr = std.io.getStdErr().writer();
-                        stderr.print("Error parsing option \"{s}\": {s}\n", .{ param.name, buffer.items }) catch {};
+                        const err_writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                        const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                        defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                        try err_writer.print("Error parsing option {s}: {s}\n", .{ desc, buffer.items });
                         return err;
                     };
                 }
             } else {
                 if (comptime param.required) {
+                    const err_writer = self.error_message.writer(self.allocator);
+                    const desc = try param.describe(self.allocator);
+                    defer self.allocator.free(desc);
+                    try err_writer.print("Could not parse command line: required parameter {s} is missing\n", .{desc});
                     return ParseError.RequiredParameterMissing;
                 } else if (comptime @TypeOf(param).has_output) {
                     if (comptime param.default) |def| {
@@ -497,18 +616,23 @@ fn InterfaceWrappers(comptime ParserType: type) type {
             name: []const u8,
             args: [][:0]u8,
             env: std.process.EnvMap,
-        ) anyerror!void {
+        ) anyerror!?ParseResult {
             const self = castInterfaceParser(parser);
             const context = self.castContext(ctx);
             return try self.subparse(context, name, args, env);
         }
 
-        fn _wrapFinish(parser: *anyopaque, ctx: *anyopaque) anyerror!void {
+        fn _wrapFinish(parser: *anyopaque, ctx: *anyopaque) anyerror!?ParserInterface {
             const self = castInterfaceParser(parser);
             const context = self.castContext(ctx);
             return try self.finish(context);
         }
 
+        fn _wrapGetParseError(parser: *anyopaque) []const u8 {
+            const self = castInterfaceParser(parser);
+            return self.getParseError();
+        }
+
         fn _wrapAddSubcommand(parser: *anyopaque, name: []const u8, subcommand: ParserInterface) !void {
             const self = castInterfaceParser(parser);
             return self.addSubcommand(name, subcommand);