don't remember what i tried doing but it broke so here

src/main.cpp

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
 behold! my garbage code. (and other people's better code but whatever)
 */
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -30,13 +31,23 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         std::cout << argc-1 << " arguments" << std::endl;
         for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
             char* arg = argv[i];
+            std::string argMidstep = arg;
+            std::vector<char> argBrokenDown(argMidstep.begin(), argMidstep.end());
+            bool argMultiOption = false;
+            if (!strcmp(&argBrokenDown[0], "-")) {
+                argMultiOption = true;
+            }
             if (!strcmp(arg, "--help")) {
                 std::cout << "this is a factorio clone that runs in the terminal. it is shit. shoutouts to dragon lord for thinking up the name \"beaurocra-tech\"" << std::endl;
                 std::cout << "syntax: " << filename << " [arguments] <*.json>" << std::endl; // why json? because 1. it's convenient and 2. i'm too lazy to make a blotterv5 parser
                 break;
 
-            } else if (!strcmp(arg, "--debug")) {
-                std::cout << "default path: " << defaultPath << std::endl;
+            } else if (argMultiOption) {
+                for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(argBrokenDown); i++) {
+                    if (!strcmp(arg, "--debug") | !strcmp(&argBrokenDown[i], "d")) {
+                        std::cout << "default path: " << defaultPath << std::endl;
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
     }