Add --xml flag

Closes #15

Author: lexh

README.md

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ For background on this project see [Building files-to-prompt entirely using Clau
 ## Installation
 
 Install this tool using `pip`:
+
 ```bash
 pip install files-to-prompt
 ```
@@ -29,11 +30,13 @@ This will output the contents of every file, with each file preceded by its rela
 ### Options
 
 - `--include-hidden`: Include files and folders starting with `.` (hidden files and directories).
+
   ```bash
   files-to-prompt path/to/directory --include-hidden
   ```
 
 - `--ignore-gitignore`: Ignore `.gitignore` files and include all files.
+
   ```bash
   files-to-prompt path/to/directory --ignore-gitignore
   ```
@@ -101,6 +104,26 @@ Contents of file3.txt
 ---
 ```
 
+### XML Output
+
+Anthropic has provided [specific guidelines](https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/docs/long-context-window-tips) for optimally structuring prompts to take advantage of Claude's extended context window.
+
+To structure the output in this way, use the optional `--xml` flag, which will produce output like this:
+
+```xml
+Here are some documents for you to reference for your task:
+
+<document path="my_directory/file1.txt">
+Contents of file1.txt
+</document>
+
+<document path="my_directory/file2.txt">
+Contents of file2.txt
+</document>
+...
+</documents>
+```
+
 ## Development
 
 To contribute to this tool, first checkout the code. Then create a new virtual environment:
@@ -118,6 +141,7 @@ pip install -e '.[test]'
 ```
 
 To run the tests:
+
 ```bash
 pytest
 ```

files_to_prompt/cli.py

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import os
-import click
 from fnmatch import fnmatch
 
+import click
+
 
 def should_ignore(path, gitignore_rules):
     for rule in gitignore_rules:
@@ -23,7 +24,12 @@ def read_gitignore(path):
 
 
 def process_path(
-    path, include_hidden, ignore_gitignore, gitignore_rules, ignore_patterns
+    path,
+    include_hidden,
+    ignore_gitignore,
+    gitignore_rules,
+    ignore_patterns,
+    xml,
 ):
     if os.path.isfile(path):
         try:
@@ -69,11 +75,16 @@ def process_path(
                     with open(file_path, "r") as f:
                         file_contents = f.read()
 
-                    click.echo(file_path)
-                    click.echo("---")
-                    click.echo(file_contents)
-                    click.echo()
-                    click.echo("---")
+                    if xml:
+                        click.echo(f'<document path="{file_path}">')
+                        click.echo(file_contents)
+                        click.echo("</document>")
+                    else:
+                        click.echo(file_path)
+                        click.echo("---")
+                        click.echo(file_contents)
+                        click.echo()
+                        click.echo("---")
                 except UnicodeDecodeError:
                     warning_message = (
                         f"Warning: Skipping file {file_path} due to UnicodeDecodeError"
@@ -100,8 +111,13 @@ def process_path(
     default=[],
     help="List of patterns to ignore",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--xml",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Output in XML format suitable for Claude's long context window.",
+)
 @click.version_option()
-def cli(paths, include_hidden, ignore_gitignore, ignore_patterns):
+def cli(paths, include_hidden, ignore_gitignore, ignore_patterns, xml):
     """
     Takes one or more paths to files or directories and outputs every file,
     recursively, each one preceded with its filename like this:
@@ -114,13 +130,43 @@ def cli(paths, include_hidden, ignore_gitignore, ignore_patterns):
     path/to/file2.py
     ---
     ...
+
+    If the `--xml` flag is provided, the output will be structured as follows:
+
+    Here are some documents for you to reference for your task:
+
+    <documents>
+    <document path="path/to/file1.txt">
+    Contents of file1.txt
+    </document>
+
+    <document path="path/to/file2.txt">
+    Contents of file2.txt
+    </document>
+    ...
+    </documents>
     """
     gitignore_rules = []
     for path in paths:
         if not os.path.exists(path):
             raise click.BadArgumentUsage(f"Path does not exist: {path}")
         if not ignore_gitignore:
             gitignore_rules.extend(read_gitignore(os.path.dirname(path)))
+        if xml and path == paths[0]:
+            click.echo("""
+Here are some documents for you to reference for your task:
+
+<documents>
+""")
+
         process_path(
-            path, include_hidden, ignore_gitignore, gitignore_rules, ignore_patterns
+            path,
+            include_hidden,
+            ignore_gitignore,
+            gitignore_rules,
+            ignore_patterns,
+            xml,
         )
+
+    if xml:
+        click.echo("</documents>")

tests/test_files_to_prompt.py

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import os
+
 from click.testing import CliRunner
+
 from files_to_prompt.cli import cli
 
 
@@ -186,3 +188,24 @@ def test_binary_file_warning(tmpdir):
             "Warning: Skipping file test_dir/binary_file.bin due to UnicodeDecodeError"
             in stderr
         )
+
+
+def test_xml_format(tmpdir):
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    with tmpdir.as_cwd():
+        os.makedirs("test_dir")
+        with open("test_dir/file1.txt", "w") as f:
+            f.write("Contents of file1")
+        with open("test_dir/file2.txt", "w") as f:
+            f.write("Contents of file2")
+
+        result = runner.invoke(cli, ["test_dir", "--xml"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "<documents>" in result.output
+        assert '<document path="test_dir/file1.txt">' in result.output
+        assert "Contents of file1" in result.output
+        assert "</document>" in result.output
+        assert '<document path="test_dir/file2.txt">' in result.output
+        assert "Contents of file2" in result.output
+        assert "</document>" in result.output
+        assert "</documents>" in result.output