Method for runtime determination of available input argument types for a software program

A computer readable medium encoded with software for defining external arguments for an application program, said software performing the steps of:

• (a) upon invocation of an application program, providing one or more arguments to be passed into said application program, said arguments being coupled in flag and value pairs;
• (b) using an argument descriptor file to determine if each flag and value pair provided is a valid flag and value pair;
• (c) responsive to validating said flag and value pairs, loading said flags and values into a key/value dictionary;
• and
• (d) passing said loaded dictionary to said application program such that the application program may access the values within the dictionary.

A system for associating external arguments and a software program comprising:

• (a) one or more pairs of argument flags and values associated with a software program invocation command;
• (b) an invoker operable to start execution of a software program or instance of a software program, said invoker being configured to receive said argument pairs;
• (c) an argument descriptor file disposed to be accessible by said invoker, said argument descriptor file containing definitions for valid flag and value pairs;
• (d) a key/value dictionary for holding flag and value pairs, said key/value dictionary being accessible by said software program;
• and
• (e) a validater-loader operable by said invoker, said validater-loader being configured to check all received argument flag and value pairs against said definitions in said argument descriptor file, and being configured to load valid argument pairs into said key/value dictionary such that they may be accessed by said invoked software program.