STYLE: add notes to some (most) command-line options

- mapFields and splitMeshRegions need more clarification
2025-11-28 03:28:01 +00:00 · 2010-04-27 10:50:15 +02:00
parent 5debfe4cdf
commit 147fa2a75d
85 changed files with 1221 additions and 472 deletions
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceAdd/surfaceAdd.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceAdd/surfaceAdd.C
@ -45,14 +45,28 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "add two surfaces via a geometric merge on points."
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam output file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");

-    argList::addOption("points", "pointsFile");
-    argList::addBoolOption("mergeRegions");
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "points",
+        "file",
+        "provide additional points"
+    );
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "mergeRegions",
+        "combine regions from both surfaces"
+    );

    argList args(argc, argv);

--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceAutoPatch/surfaceAutoPatch.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceAutoPatch/surfaceAutoPatch.C
@ -47,17 +47,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("input surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("included angle [0..180]");
+    argList::validArgs.append("input surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("includedAngle [0..180]");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName inFileName  = args[1];
    const fileName outFileName = args[2];
    const scalar includedAngle = args.argRead<scalar>(3);

-    Info<< "Surface        : " << inFileName << nl
-        << endl;
+    Info<< "Surface        : " << inFileName << nl << endl;


    // Read
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceCheck/surfaceCheck.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceCheck/surfaceCheck.C
@ -175,10 +175,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::noParallel();

    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");

-    argList::addBoolOption("checkSelfIntersection");
-    argList::addBoolOption("verbose");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "checkSelfIntersection",
+        "also check for self-intersection"
+    );
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "verbose",
+        "verbose operation"
+    );
    argList::addBoolOption
    (
        "blockMesh",
@ -224,8 +232,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
            <<"    hex (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7) (10 10 10) simpleGrading (1 1 1)\n"
            <<");\n" << nl;

-        Info<<"edges();" << nl
-            <<"patches();" << endl;
+        Info<<"edges\n();" << nl
+            <<"patches\n();" << endl;
    }


--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceClean/surfaceClean.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceClean/surfaceClean.C
@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
    argList::validArgs.clear();
    argList::noParallel();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("min length");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName inFileName = args[1];
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceCoarsen/surfaceCoarsen.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceCoarsen/surfaceCoarsen.C
@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("reduction factor");
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam output file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("reductionFactor");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName inFileName = args[1];
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceConvert/surfaceConvert.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceConvert/surfaceConvert.C
@ -58,14 +58,32 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "convert between surface formats"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
    argList::validArgs.append("inputFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("outputFile");

-    argList::addBoolOption("clean");
-    argList::addBoolOption("group");
-    argList::addOption("scale", "scale");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "clean",
+        "perform some surface checking/cleanup on the input surface"
+    );
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "group",
+        "reorder faces into groups; one per region"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scale",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor - default is 1"
+    );

    argList args(argc, argv);

@ -96,8 +114,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
        Info<< endl;
    }

-    bool sortByRegion = args.optionFound("group");
-
+    const bool sortByRegion = args.optionFound("group");
    if (sortByRegion)
    {
        Info<< "Reordering faces into groups; one per region." << endl;
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFeatureConvert/surfaceFeatureConvert.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFeatureConvert/surfaceFeatureConvert.C
@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    (
        "scale",
        "factor",
-        "specify a scaling factor for the points"
+        "geometry scaling factor - default is 1"
    );

    argList args(argc, argv);
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFeatureExtract/surfaceFeatureExtract.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFeatureExtract/surfaceFeatureExtract.C
@ -90,19 +90,53 @@ void deleteBox

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "extract and write surface features to file"
+    );
    argList::noParallel();

    argList::validArgs.clear();
    argList::validArgs.append("surface");
    argList::validArgs.append("output set");

-    argList::addOption("includedAngle", "included angle [0..180]");
-    argList::addOption("set", "input feature set");
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "includedAngle",
+        "degrees",
+        "construct feature set from included angle [0..180]"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "set",
+        "name",
+        "use existing feature set from file"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "minLen",
+        "scalar",
+        "remove features shorter than the specified cumulative length"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "minElem",
+        "int",
+        "remove features with fewer than the specified number of edges"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "subsetBox",
+        "((x0 y0 z0)(x1 y1 z1))",
+        "remove edges outside specified bounding box"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "deleteBox",
+        "((x0 y0 z0)(x1 y1 z1))",
+        "remove edges within specified bounding box"
+    );

-    argList::addOption("minLen", "cumulative length of feature");
-    argList::addOption("minElem", "number of edges in feature");
-    argList::addOption("subsetBox", "((x0 y0 z0)(x1 y1 z1))");
-    argList::addOption("deleteBox", "((x0 y0 z0)(x1 y1 z1))");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    Info<< "Feature line extraction is only valid on closed manifold surfaces."
@ -143,7 +177,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    }
    else if (args.optionFound("includedAngle"))
    {
-        scalar includedAngle = args.optionRead<scalar>("includedAngle");
+        const scalar includedAngle = args.optionRead<scalar>("includedAngle");

        Info<< "Constructing feature set from included angle " << includedAngle
            << endl;
@ -175,8 +209,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
        << endl;


-
-
    // Trim set
    // ~~~~~~~~

@ -200,7 +232,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    }


-
    // Subset
    // ~~~~~~

--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFind/surfaceFind.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceFind/surfaceFind.C
@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::addOption("y", "Y", "The point y-coordinate (if non-zero)");
    argList::addOption("z", "Z", "The point y-coordinate (if non-zero)");

-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");

    argList args(argc, argv);

--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInertia/surfaceInertia.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceInertia/surfaceInertia.C
@ -289,8 +289,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    );

    argList::noParallel();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::addBoolOption("shellProperties");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "shellProperties",
+        "inertia of a thin shell"
+    );

    argList::addOption
    (
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshConvert/surfaceMeshConvert.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshConvert/surfaceMeshConvert.C
@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "convert between surface formats"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.append("inputFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("outputFile");
@ -83,14 +88,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::addOption
    (
        "scaleIn",
-        "scale",
-        "specify input geometry scaling factor"
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on input"
    );
    argList::addOption
    (
        "scaleOut",
-        "scale",
-        "specify output geometry scaling factor"
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on output"
    );
    argList::addOption
    (
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshConvertTesting/surfaceMeshConvertTesting.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshConvertTesting/surfaceMeshConvertTesting.C
@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "convert between surface formats, "
+        "but primarily for testing functionality\n"
+        "Normally use surfaceMeshConvert instead."
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.append("inputFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("outputFile");
@ -82,7 +89,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::addBoolOption("unsorted");
    argList::addBoolOption("triFace");

-    argList::addOption("scale", "scale");
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scale",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor - default is 1"
+    );

 #   include "setRootCase.H"

--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshExport/surfaceMeshExport.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshExport/surfaceMeshExport.C
@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ Usage
    Specify an alternative dictionary for constant/coordinateSystems.

    @param -from \<coordinateSystem\> \n
-    Specify a coordinate System when reading files.
+    Specify a coordinate system when reading files.

    @param -to \<coordinateSystem\> \n
-    Specify a coordinate System when writing files.
+    Specify a coordinate system when writing files.

 Note
    The filename extensions are used to determine the file format type.
@ -72,17 +72,56 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "export from surfMesh to various third-party surface formats"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.append("outputFile");

-    argList::addBoolOption("clean");
-
-    argList::addOption("name",  "name");
-    argList::addOption("scaleIn",  "scale");
-    argList::addOption("scaleOut", "scale");
-    argList::addOption("dict", "coordinateSystemsDict");
-    argList::addOption("from", "sourceCoordinateSystem");
-    argList::addOption("to",   "targetCoordinateSystem");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "clean",
+        "perform some surface checking/cleanup on the input surface"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "name",
+        "name",
+        "specify an alternative surface name when reading - "
+        "default is 'default'"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scaleIn",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on input - default is 1"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scaleOut",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on output - default is 1"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "dict",
+        "file",
+        "specify an alternative dictionary for constant/coordinateSystems"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "from",
+        "coordinateSystem",
+        "specify the source coordinate system, applied after '-scaleIn'"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "to",
+        "coordinateSystem",
+        "specify the target coordinate system, applied before '-scaleOut'"
+    );

    argList args(argc, argv);
    Time runTime(args.rootPath(), args.caseName());
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshImport/surfaceMeshImport.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshImport/surfaceMeshImport.C
@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ Usage
    Specify an alternative dictionary for constant/coordinateSystems.

    @param -from \<coordinateSystem\> \n
-    Specify a coordinate System when reading files.
+    Specify a coordinate system when reading files.

    @param -to \<coordinateSystem\> \n
-    Specify a coordinate System when writing files.
+    Specify a coordinate system when writing files.

 Note
    The filename extensions are used to determine the file format type.
@ -72,20 +72,59 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "import from various third-party surface formats into surfMesh"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.append("inputFile");

-    argList::addBoolOption("clean");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "clean",
+        "perform some surface checking/cleanup on the input surface"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "name",
+        "name",
+        "specify an alternative surface name when writing - "
+        "default is 'default'"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scaleIn",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on input - default is 1"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "scaleOut",
+        "factor",
+        "geometry scaling factor on output - default is 1"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "dict",
+        "file",
+        "specify an alternative dictionary for constant/coordinateSystems"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "from",
+        "coordinateSystem",
+        "specify a local coordinate system when reading files."
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "to",
+        "coordinateSystem",
+        "specify a local coordinate system when writing files."
+    );

-    argList::addOption("name",  "name");
-    argList::addOption("scaleIn",  "scale");
-    argList::addOption("scaleOut", "scale");
-    argList::addOption("dict", "coordinateSystemsDict");
-    argList::addOption("from", "sourceCoordinateSystem");
-    argList::addOption("to",   "targetCoordinateSystem");
-
-#   include "setRootCase.H"
-#   include "createTime.H"
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+    #include "createTime.H"

    // try for the latestTime, but create "constant" as needed
    instantList Times = runTime.times();
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshTriangulate/surfaceMeshTriangulate.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceMeshTriangulate/surfaceMeshTriangulate.C
@ -48,13 +48,26 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "extract surface from a polyMesh and triangulate boundary faces"
+    );
    argList::validArgs.append("output file");
-#   include "addRegionOption.H"
-    argList::addBoolOption("excludeProcPatches");
-    argList::addOption("patches", "(patch0 .. patchN)");
+    #include "addRegionOption.H"
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "excludeProcPatches",
+        "exclude processor patches"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "patches",
+        "(patch0 .. patchN)",
+        "only triangulate named patches"
+    );

-#   include "setRootCase.H"
-#   include "createTime.H"
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+    #include "createTime.H"

    const fileName outFileName(runTime.path()/args[1]);

@ -63,9 +76,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])

    Pout<< "Reading mesh from time " << runTime.value() << endl;

-#   include "createNamedPolyMesh.H"
+    #include "createNamedPolyMesh.H"

-    bool includeProcPatches =
+    const bool includeProcPatches =
       !(
            args.optionFound("excludeProcPatches")
         || Pstream::parRun()
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceOrient/surfaceOrient.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceOrient/surfaceOrient.C
@ -39,12 +39,22 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "set face normals consistent with a user-provided 'outside' point"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("Foam surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("visiblePoint");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output file");
-    argList::addBoolOption("inside");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "inside",
+        "treat provided point as being inside"
+    );
+
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName surfFileName = args[1];
@ -53,18 +63,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])

    const bool orientInside = args.optionFound("inside");

-    Info<< "Reading surface from " << surfFileName << endl;
-    Info<< "Visible point " << visiblePoint << endl;
+    Info<< "Reading surface from " << surfFileName << nl
+        << "Visible point " << visiblePoint << nl
+        << "Orienting surface such that visiblePoint " << visiblePoint
+        << " is ";

    if (orientInside)
    {
-        Info<< "Orienting surface such that visiblePoint " << visiblePoint
-            << " is inside" << endl;
+        Info<< "inside" << endl;
    }
    else
    {
-        Info<< "Orienting surface such that visiblePoint " << visiblePoint
-            << " is outside" << endl;
+        Info<< "outside" << endl;
    }

    Info<< "Writing surface to " << outFileName << endl;
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfacePointMerge/surfacePointMerge.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfacePointMerge/surfacePointMerge.C
@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("merge distance");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName surfFileName = args[1];
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceRedistributePar/surfaceRedistributePar.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceRedistributePar/surfaceRedistributePar.C
@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void writeProcStats
    {
        const List<treeBoundBox>& bbs = meshBb[procI];

-        Info<< "processor" << procI << endl
+        Info<< "processor" << procI << nl
            << "\tMesh bounds          : " << bbs[0] << nl;
        for (label i = 1; i < bbs.size(); i++)
        {
@ -99,19 +99,27 @@ void writeProcStats

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "redistribute a triSurface"
+    );
+
    argList::validArgs.append("triSurfaceMesh");
    argList::validArgs.append("distributionType");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "keepNonMapped",
+        "preserve surface outside of mesh bounds"
+    );

-    argList::addBoolOption("keepNonMapped");
-#   include "setRootCase.H"
-#   include "createTime.H"
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+    #include "createTime.H"
    runTime.functionObjects().off();

    const fileName surfFileName = args[1];
    const word distType = args[2];

-    Info<< "Reading surface from " << surfFileName << nl
-        << nl
+    Info<< "Reading surface from " << surfFileName << nl << nl
        << "Using distribution method "
        << distributedTriSurfaceMesh::distributionTypeNames_[distType]
        << " " << distType << nl << endl;
@ -138,7 +146,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    }


-#   include "createPolyMesh.H"
+    #include "createPolyMesh.H"

    Random rndGen(653213);

--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceRefineRedGreen/surfaceRefineRedGreen.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceRefineRedGreen/surfaceRefineRedGreen.C
@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName surfFileName = args[1];
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSmooth/surfaceSmooth.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSmooth/surfaceSmooth.C
@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validOptions.clear();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
    argList::validArgs.append("underrelax factor (0..1)");
    argList::validArgs.append("iterations");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    const fileName surfFileName = args[1];
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C
@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ using namespace Foam;

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "write surface mesh regions to separate files"
+    );
+
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
    argList::validArgs.append("input file");
@ -104,7 +109,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
        subSurf.write(outFile);
    }

-
    Info<< "End\n" << endl;

    return 0;
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitNonManifolds/surfaceSplitNonManifolds.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitNonManifolds/surfaceSplitNonManifolds.C
@ -666,12 +666,20 @@ bool splitBorderEdges

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "split multiply connected surface edges by duplicating points"
+    );
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();

-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output surface file");
-    argList::addBoolOption("debug");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "debug",
+        "add debugging output"
+    );

    argList args(argc, argv);

@ -679,7 +687,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    const fileName outSurfName = args[2];
    const bool debug = args.optionFound("debug");

-
    Info<< "Reading surface from " << inSurfName << endl;

    triSurface surf(inSurfName);
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSubset/surfaceSubset.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSubset/surfaceSubset.C
@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceSubsetDict");
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList args(argc, argv);

    Info<< "Reading dictionary " << args[1] << " ..." << endl;
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceToPatch/surfaceToPatch.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceToPatch/surfaceToPatch.C
@ -163,14 +163,29 @@ bool repatchFace

 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    argList::noParallel();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::addOption("faceSet", "faceSet name");
-    argList::addOption("tol", "fraction of mesh size");
+    argList::addNote
+    (
+        "reads surface and applies surface regioning to a mesh"
+    );

-#   include "setRootCase.H"
-#   include "createTime.H"
-#   include "createPolyMesh.H"
+    argList::noParallel();
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "faceSet",
+        "name",
+        "only repatch the faces in specified faceSet"
+    );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "tol",
+        "scalar",
+        "search tolerance as fraction of mesh size (default 1e-3)"
+    );
+
+    #include "setRootCase.H"
+    #include "createTime.H"
+    #include "createPolyMesh.H"

    const fileName surfName = args[1];

@ -190,7 +205,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
            << " triangle ..." << endl;
    }

-    scalar searchTol = args.optionLookupOrDefault("tol", 1e-3);
+    const scalar searchTol = args.optionLookupOrDefault("tol", 1e-3);

    // Get search box. Anything not within this box will not be considered.
    const boundBox& meshBb = mesh.globalData().bb();
@ -212,7 +227,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    Info<< endl;


-
    boundaryMesh bMesh;

    // Load in the surface.
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceTransformPoints/surfaceTransformPoints.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceTransformPoints/surfaceTransformPoints.C
@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    );
    argList::noParallel();
    argList::validArgs.clear();
-    argList::validArgs.append("surface file");
-    argList::validArgs.append("output surface file");
+    argList::validArgs.append("surfaceFile");
+    argList::validArgs.append("output surfaceFile");
    argList::addOption
    (
        "translate",