Building a Multilingual Command Line

John Samuel

25^th August, 2020

Simplify command line

Is command line Simple?

$ ls : list files

$ touch : create a blank file

$ mkdir : create a directory

$ cd : change a directory

$ ps : list processes

$ top : list processes

$ netstat : list network connections

$ lshw : list hardware

$ lscpu : display information about cpu architecure

$ date : display or set date

ls	: list files
touch	: create blank file
mkdir	: create a directory
cd	: change a directory
ps	: list processes
top	: list processes
netstat	: list network connections
lshw	: list hardware
lscpu	: display information about cpu architecture
date	: print or set date
...	:

Options : What about them?

-v : Is it verbose or is it version?

-r : Is it reverse or is it recursive?

help : Is it -h or is it --h? Is it -help?

Support from standard libraries
Standardization

Support from standard libraries

C: getopt(), getopt_long()
Python: argparse()

C: getopt(), getopt_long()

short and long options
optional arguments

Python: argparse()

short and long options
one or more optional arguments
specify data types of arguments
subcommands

Enhancement
Incorporate colors
Add progress
Multilingual documentation

2. But why not multilingual commands and options?

Multilingual Commands

list all the processes
affiche tous les processus
പ്രക്രിയകൾ കാണിക്കുക

Building Multilingual Command Line: Solutions

Ask the developers
Modify the shell (e.g., Bash) source code
Extend the shell in a transparent user-centric manner

Inspiration from other domains

REST API

Create C
Read R
Update U
Delete D
List L

action	resource
create	file
read	file
update	file
delete	file
list	file
(action)...	file

action	resource
créer	fichier
afficher	fichier
modifier	fichier
supprimer	fichier
lister	fichier
(action)...	fichier

commands and actions — Fig 1: Command to list files, directories, processes or network connections

Firefox Ubiquity

Multilingual command: action + resource

Multilingual command: resource + action

Multilingual command: action + resource + options

Multilingual command: resource + action + options

3. Development

3.a. Basic solution: Using Aliases


        alias listfile="ls"

        alias createfile="touch"

        alias deletefile="rm"

        alias showfile="cat"

3.a. Basic Solution: Using Aliases


        alias listdirectory="ls"

        alias createdirectory="mkdir"

        alias deletedirectory="rmdir"

        alias showdirectory="ls"

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

create directory dir1
show directory dir1
delete directory dir1
create file file1
show file file1
...

3.b. Solution: Using Functions


          function deleteaction() {

            count=$#

            if [[ $1 == "file" ]]

            then

              shift

              rm $@

            elif [[ $1 == "directory" ]]

            then

              shift

              rmdir $@

            fi

          }

         

         alias delete="deleteaction"

3.b. Solution: Using Functions


          function supprimeraction() {

            count=$#

            if [[ $1 == "fichier" ]]

            then

              shift

              rm $@

            elif [[ $1 == "répertoire" ]]

            then

              shift

              rmdir $@

            fi

          }

         

         alias supprimer="supprimer"

3.b. Solution: Using Functions


          function ഡയറക്ടറിപ്രവർത്തനങ്ങൾ() {

            count=$#

            if [[ $1 == "സൃഷ്ടിക്കുക" ]]

            then

              shift

              mkdir $@

            elif [[ $1 == "ഇല്ലാതാക്കുക" ]]

            then

              shift

              rmdir $@

            fi

          }

         

         alias ഡയറക്ടറി="ഡയറക്ടറിപ്രവർത്തനങ്ങൾ"

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

supprimer répertoire rép1
supprimer fichier f1

ഡയറക്ടറി സൃഷ്ടിക്കുക ഡ1
ഡയറക്ടറി ഇല്ലാതാക്കുക ഡ1

But, What about shorter commands and options?

3.b. Solution: Using Functions


          function supprimeraction() {

            count=$#

            if [[ $1 == "f" ]]

            then

              shift

              rm $@

            elif [[ $1 == "r" ]]

            then

              shift

              rmdir $@

            fi

          }

         

         alias s="supprimeraction"

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

s r rép1
s f f1

4. Debian Community

Sharing and Collaboration

Developing multilingual command-line configuration files
Sharing the configuration files
Collaborating towards a flexible solution

$ .

Learning curve
Natural Language
Linguistic Diversity
Open source

References

dotfiles https://github.com/johnsamuelwrites/dotfiles
Command Line Interface https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command-line_interface
Python Argparse https://docs.python.org/3/library/argparse.html
Rethinking the command line, John Samuel, Capitole du Libre, Toulouse, France, November 19, 2017
.bashrc https://linux.die.net/man/1/bash
Bash Startup Files http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/html_node/Bash-Startup-Files.html
Ubiquity https://mozillalabs.com/ubiquity/
FEATURE: The linguistic command line Aza Raskin, Interactions - Toward a model of innovation, Volume 15 Issue 1, January + February 2008, Pages 19-22
Ubiquity: Designing a Multilingual Natural Language Interface Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine, SIGIR Workshop on Information Access in a Multilingual World, July 23, 2009

Building a Multilingual Command Line

John Samuel

25^th August, 2020

3.a. Basic solution: Using Aliases

3.a. Basic Solution: Using Aliases

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

References

Thank you

John Samuel

https://johnsamuel.info/

Questions?

Building a Multilingual Command Line

John Samuel

25th August, 2020

3.a. Basic solution: Using Aliases

3.a. Basic Solution: Using Aliases

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

3.b. Solution: Using Functions

References

Thank you

John Samuel

https://johnsamuel.info/

Questions?

25^th August, 2020