docs: def main(arguments=None):
      """
      *The main function used when ``cl_utils.py`` is run as a single script from the cl, or when installed as a cl command*
      """
      # setup the command-line util settings
      su = tools(
          arguments=arguments,
          docString=__doc__,
          logLevel="DEBUG",
          options_first=False,
          projectName="sloancone",
          tunnel=False
      )
      arguments, settings, log, dbConn = su.setup()
  
      # tab completion for raw_input
      readline.set_completer_delims(' \t\n;')
      readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
      readline.set_completer(tab_complete)
  
      # unpack remaining cl arguments using `exec` to setup the variable names
      # automatically
      for arg, val in arguments.iteritems():
          if arg[0] == "-":
              varname = arg.replace("-", "") + "Flag"
          else:
              varname = arg.replace("<", "").replace(">", "")
          if isinstance(val, str) or isinstance(val, unicode):
              exec(varname + " = '%s'" % (val,))
          else:
              exec(varname + " = %s" % (val,))
          if arg == "--dbConn":
              dbConn = val
          log.debug('%s = %s' % (varname, val,))
  
      ## START LOGGING ##
      startTime = times.get_now_sql_datetime()
      log.info(
          '--- STARTING TO RUN THE cl_utils.py AT %s' %
          (startTime,))
  
      # set options interactively if user requests
      if "interactiveFlag" in locals() and interactiveFlag:
  
          # load previous settings
          moduleDirectory = os.path.dirname(__file__) + "/resources"
          pathToPickleFile = "%(moduleDirectory)s/previousSettings.p" % locals()
          try:
              with open(pathToPickleFile):
                  pass
              previousSettingsExist = True
          except:
              previousSettingsExist = False
          previousSettings = {}
          if previousSettingsExist:
              previousSettings = pickle.load(open(pathToPickleFile, "rb"))
  
          # x-raw-input
          # x-boolean-raw-input
          # x-raw-input-with-default-value-from-previous-settings
  
          # save the most recently used requests
          pickleMeObjects = []
          pickleMe = {}
          theseLocals = locals()
          for k in pickleMeObjects:
              pickleMe[k] = theseLocals[k]
          pickle.dump(pickleMe, open(pathToPickleFile, "wb"))
  
      # CALL FUNCTIONS/OBJECTS
  
      if "dbConn" in locals() and dbConn:
          dbConn.commit()
          dbConn.close()
      ## FINISH LOGGING ##
      endTime = times.get_now_sql_datetime()
      runningTime = times.calculate_time_difference(startTime, endTime)
      log.info('-- FINISHED ATTEMPT TO RUN THE cl_utils.py AT %s (RUNTIME: %s) --' %
               (endTime, runningTime, ))
  
      return