commandline session $getopt hello -- $getopt hello how are you ? -- how are you 1 c h $getopt hello hello are you ? -- hello are you 1 c h $getopt hello hello are yours ? -- hello are yours 1 c h $getopt hello hello are yours what ? -- hello are yours what 1 c h $getopt hello hello are yours what -- hello are yours what $getopt hello hello are yours what ! -- hello are yours what ! $getopt hello hello are yours what $ -- hello are yours what $ THEORY DROP getopt is used to break up (parse) options in command lines for easy parsing by shell procedures, and to check for legal options.