Re: [avrdude-dev] Slight behaviour change of '-U' option - asking for comments

[Galen Seitz]

Brian Dean <address@hidden> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I find that I often subconsciously shorten the '-U' option for
> uploading the flash to just the filename, i.e.:
> 
>      avrdude -p m128 -U myfile.hex
> 
> Of course, avrdude complains that it doesn't know how to parse that so
> I then slap my forehead and type out what I really meant which is:
> 
>      avrdude -p m128 -U flash:w:myfile.hex
> 
> Since I do this so often it's not even funny, I conclude the former
> must be "correct" and that's the way I should have implemented '-U' to
> begin with.  So I was wondering if anyone would have any objection to
> me making the first case above be accepted and default to writing the
> flash memory when only a filename is specified.  Or would that be too
> dangerous in that it is making too many assumptions?
> 

I'm inclined to think that this is too dangerous on its own.  Perhaps
if an 'op' switch was added it might be okay.  The 'op' switch would
default to verify, so you would be required to use it when programming.

  avrdude -p m128 --operation w -U myfile.hex

--operation could be replaced with some single letter switch.  Adding
a new switch should prevent someone from unintentionally programming
a device.

At the same time, I would probably resurrect the -m and -f switches.
I think that putting several options all on -U isn't necessarily
the best approach.

galen