lein run: --quote-args flag has no effect?

[Yuri Govorushchenko]

I want to use lein run with the function which has non-string args. --quote-args seems to be the solution for it but it doesn't work. From lein run --help:

The `--quote-args' flag quotes the arguments passed in, instead of converting
them to strings. Useful if you want to pass in :project/key entries that might
be/contain lists.

I may misunderstand the purpose of the flag though. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any usage examples in tests or on the Internet.

To Reproduce

1. Code:

   (ns foo.core)
   
   (defn bar
     [x y z]
     (prn x (type x)
          y (type y)
          z (type z)))

2. Run the command lein trampoline run -m foo.core/bar --quote-args 123 :a "b".
3. See output.

Actual behavior

"123" java.lang.String ":a" java.lang.String "b" java.lang.String

Expected behavior

123 java.lang.Long :a clojure.lang.Keyword "b" java.lang.String

Environment

• Leiningen Version: Leiningen 2.9.6.
• Leiningen installation method: Homebrew.
• JDK Version: openjdk version "11.0.8".
• OS: macOS 11.5.2.

[Yuri Govorushchenko]

One workaround is to use clojure.main:

$ lein trampoline run -m clojure.main -e "(require 'foo.core)(foo.core/bar 123 :a \"b\")" 
...
123 java.lang.Long :a clojure.lang.Keyword "b" java.lang.String

[Phil Hagelberg]

I think this is just a case of misleading documentation. Arguments passed in from the CLI will always be strings; they can't be any other way. But the run task can take arguments from other places, like when you create an :aliases entry which invokes it. In that case, you can put non-string data in, and --quote-args should protect it.

For example: :aliases {"wat" ["run" "--quote-args" "-m" "hey.core/foo" {:abc 123}]}

[Phil Hagelberg]

Improved the docs in 4b43164.

[Yuri Govorushchenko]

Got it, thanks!