- buildout options can be given on the command line using the form::

    option_name=value

  as a short-hand for::

    buildout:option_name=value

CHANGES.rst

@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ Change History
 2.0.0a8 (2013-01-??)
 ====================
 
+- buildout options can be given on the command line using the form::
+
+    option_name=value
+
+  as a short-hand for::
+
+    buildout:option_name=value
+
 - The ``versions`` option now defaults to ``versions``, so you no
   longer need to include::
 

src/zc/buildout/buildout.py

@@ -1719,9 +1719,12 @@ def main(args=None):
                 _error("Invalid option", '-'+op[0])
         elif '=' in args[0]:
             option, value = args.pop(0).split('=', 1)
-            if len(option.split(':')) != 2:
+            option = option.split(':')
+            if len(option) == 1:
+                option = 'buildout', option[0]
+            elif len(option) != 2:
                 _error('Invalid option:', option)
-            section, option = option.split(':')
+            section, option = option
             options.append((section.strip(), option.strip(), value.strip()))
         else:
             # We've run out of command-line options and option assignnemnts

src/zc/buildout/buildout.txt

@@ -1947,6 +1947,14 @@ Assignments are of the form::
 
   section_name:option_name=value
 
+Or::
+
+  option_name=value
+
+which is equivalent to::
+
+  buildout:option_name=value
+
 Options and assignments can be given in any order.
 
 Here's an example:

src/zc/buildout/tests.py

@@ -2831,6 +2831,12 @@ def error_building_in_offline_mode_if_dont_have_needed_dist():
     <BLANKLINE>
     """
 
+def test_buildout_section_shorthand_for_command_line_assignments():
+    r"""
+    >>> write('buildout.cfg', '')
+    >>> print_(system(buildout+' parts='), end='') # doctest: +ELLIPSIS
+    """
+
 
 ######################################################################