diff --git a/doc/examples/scd-event b/doc/examples/scd-event
--- a/doc/examples/scd-event
+++ b/doc/examples/scd-event
@@ -1,102 +1,83 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Sample script for scdaemon event mechanism.
+#
+# Sample script for the scdaemon event mechanism.
 
-#exec >>/tmp/scd-event.log
 
-PGM=scd-event
+set -eu
 
-reader_port=
-old_code=0x0000
-new_code=0x0000
-status=
+# Uncomment to append script output to a system log file.
+# exec >>"${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/scd-event.log" 2>&1
 
-tick='`'
-prev=
-while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
-  arg="$1"
-  case $arg in
-      -*=*) optarg=$(echo "X$arg" | sed -e '1s/^X//' -e 's/[-_a-zA-Z0-9]*=//')
-            ;;
-         *) optarg=
-            ;;
-  esac
-  if [ -n "$prev" ]; then
-    eval "$prev=\$arg"
-    prev=
-    shift
-    continue
-  fi
-  case $arg in
-      --help|-h)
-          cat <<EOF
-Usage: $PGM [options]
-$PGM is called by scdaemon on card reader status changes
+readonly progname='scd-event'
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<EOF
+Usage: $progname [options]
+
+$progname is called by scdaemon when the card reader status changes.
 
 Options:
-  --reader-port N        Reports change for port N
-  --old-code 0xNNNN      Previous status code
-  --old-code 0xNNNN      Current status code
-  --status USABLE|ACTIVE|PRESENT|NOCARD 
-                         Human readable status code
+  -h, --help             show this help message and exit
+  --reader-port N        reports change for port N
+  --old-code 0xNNNN      previous status code
+  --new-code 0xNNNN      new status code
+  --status USABLE|ACTIVE|PRESENT|NOCARD
+                         human-readable status code
 
 Environment:
-
-GNUPGHOME=DIR            Set to the active homedir
-
+  GNUPGHOME=DIR          set to the active homedir
 EOF
-          exit 0
-          ;;
-    
-      --reader-port)  
-          prev=reader_port
-          ;;
-      --reader-port=*)
-          reader_port="$optarg"
-          ;;
-      --old-code)  
-          prev=old_code
-          ;;
-      --old-code=*)
-          old_code="$optarg"
-          ;;
-      --new-code)  
-          prev=new_code
-          ;;
-      --new-code=*)
-          new_code="$optarg"
-          ;;
-      --status)  
-          prev=status
-          ;;
-      --new-code=*)
-          status="$optarg"
-          ;;
+}
 
-      -*)
-          echo "$PGM: invalid option $tick$arg'" >&2
-          exit 1
-          ;;
+reader_port=''
+old_code=''
+new_code=''
+status_code=''
 
-      *)
-          break
-          ;;
+temp=$(getopt -o 'h' --long 'help,reader-port:,old-code:,new-code:,status:' --name "$progname" -- "$@")
+
+eval set -- "$temp"
+unset temp
+
+while true; do
+  case "$1" in
+    -h|--help)
+      usage; exit 0
+      ;;
+    --reader-port)
+      reader_port="$2"
+      shift 2; continue
+      ;;
+    --old-code)
+      old_code="$2"
+      shift 2; continue
+      ;;
+    --new-code)
+      new_code="$2"
+      shift 2; continue
+      ;;
+    --status)
+      status_code="$2"
+      shift 2; continue
+      ;;
+    --)
+      shift; break
+      ;;
+    *)
+      printf 'Internal error!\n' >&2
+      exit 1
+      ;;
   esac
-  shift
 done
-if [ -n "$prev" ]; then
-  echo "$PGM: argument missing for option $tick$prev'" >&2
-  exit 1
+
+if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
+  printf '%s: invalid arguments\n' "$progname" >&2 && exit 1
 fi
 
-cat <<EOF
-========================
-port:     $reader_port
-old-code: $old_code
-new-code: $new_code
-status:   $status
-EOF
+# Log the invocation and the options passed.
+printf '%s: reader-port="%s" old-code="%s" new-code="%s" status="%s"\n' \
+  "$progname" "$reader_port" "$old_code" "$new_code" "$status_code"
 
-if [ x$status = xUSABLE ]; then
-    gpg --batch --card-status 2>&1
+if [ "$status_code" = 'USABLE' ]; then
+  gpg --batch --card-status 2>&1
 fi
-