require(plyr)

## get and parse any commandline options/args
cmd.args <- commandArgs(trailingOnly=TRUE)

## this assumes trailingOnly in commandArgs()
mk.cmd.args.list <- function(args) {
  if (length(args)>1) {
    split.list <- strsplit( args[-1], '\\=' )  ## exclude "--args"
    values <- llply( split.list, '[[', 2 )
    names(values) <- laply( split.list, '[[', 1 )
    values } else list()  ## the possible returns 
}
cmd.args.list <- mk.cmd.args.list(cmd.args)