Add support for command line arguments

Used argparse to enable command line arguments for
  user supplied options. Defaults values have been
  kept, so behavior with no arguments is the same.
  Should be easier than modifying the source each
  time this way.

Also added a gitignore file that is the standard
  github python gitignore, plus *~ to handle
  deleted files.

.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# Byte-compiled / optimized / DLL files
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+
+# C extensions
+*.so
+
+# Distribution / packaging
+bin/
+build/
+develop-eggs/
+dist/
+eggs/
+lib/
+lib64/
+parts/
+sdist/
+var/
+*.egg-info/
+.installed.cfg
+*.egg
+
+# Installer logs
+pip-log.txt
+pip-delete-this-directory.txt
+
+# Unit test / coverage reports
+.tox/
+.coverage
+.cache
+nosetests.xml
+coverage.xml
+
+# Translations
+*.mo
+
+# Mr Developer
+.mr.developer.cfg
+.project
+.pydevproject
+
+# Rope
+.ropeproject
+
+# Django stuff:
+*.log
+*.pot
+
+# Sphinx documentation
+docs/_build/
+
+#deleted files
+*~

pinger.py

@@ -25,11 +25,6 @@
 # <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
 #
 
-# User-editable variables
-host = "4.2.2.2" # IP or hostname
-ping_frequency = 5 # in seconds
-ping_log_max_size = 15
-
 #
 # Dependencies
 #
@@ -47,6 +42,10 @@ import re
 import signal
 # File paths
 import os
+#Argument parsing
+import argparse
+#for exit
+import sys
 
 # Vars
 startup_active_label = "✓ Start Automatically"
@@ -54,6 +53,42 @@ startup_inactive_label = "Start Automatically"
 home_path = os.path.expanduser("~")
 startup_path = home_path+'/.config/autostart/pinger.desktop'
 
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+parser.add_argument("-t", "--target", help="Target to PING against. (IP / Hostname / Domain name). Defaults to 4.2.2.2")
+parser.add_argument("-f", "--freq", help="Timeout between pings, in seconds. Defaults to 5")
+parser.add_argument("-m", "--maxlog", help="Maximum amount of pings to log. Defaults to 15")
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+#accumulate the arguments for use later
+arguments = ""
+for arg in sys.argv[1:]:
+  arguments += arg + " "
+
+# User-editable variables
+if args.target:
+  host = args.target
+else:
+  host = "4.2.2.2" # IP or hostname
+  print "Using default target IP of 4.2.2.2"
+
+if args.freq:
+  try:
+    ping_frequency = int(args.freq)
+  except ValueError:
+    sys.stderr.write("Error parsing argument '--freq'\n")
+    sys.exit(1)
+else:
+  ping_frequency = 5 # in seconds
+
+if args.maxlog:
+  try:
+    ping_log_max_size = int(args.maxlog)
+  except ValueError:
+    sys.stderr.write("Error parsing argument '--maxlog'\n")
+    sys.exit(1)
+else:
+  ping_log_max_size = 15
+
 #
 # Main Class
 #
@@ -83,7 +118,7 @@ class Pinger:
     self.ping_log.append(value)
     self.update_log_menu()
     # limit the size of the log
-    if len(self.ping_log) > ping_log_max_size:
+    if len(self.ping_log) >= ping_log_max_size:
       # remove the earliest ping, not the latest
       self.ping_log.pop(0) 
 
@@ -103,7 +138,7 @@ class Pinger:
     with open(startup_path,'w') as f:
       f.write("[Desktop Entry]\r\n"
               "Type=Application\r\n"
-              "Exec=python "+os.path.abspath( __file__ )+"\r\n"
+              "Exec=python "+os.path.abspath( __file__ )+arguments+"\r\n"
               "X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true\r\n"
               "Name=Pinger\r\n"
               "Comment=Pings the internet every few seconds")