Command line options

The command line options of the Genero Desktop Client, organized by category.

Table 1. Genero Desktop Client command line options: Information

This table presents Genero Desktop Client command line options. Some options share the same attribute and description - these options are interchangeable.
Option Parameter Description
-h Displays About Box and exits.
-V
--Version
-c Defines an additional configuration file. See Apply an additional configuration file.
--config
Table 2. Genero Desktop Client command line options: Network, System

This table presents Genero Desktop Client command line options. Some options share the same attribute and description - these options are interchangeable.
Option Parameter Description
-n Starts a new instance of Genero Desktop Client.
--new
-p new_port Genero Desktop Client will listen on the first available port starting with new_port.
Important: If an instance is already running, -p has no effect if -n is not specified.
--port
-q If the expected port (either 6400, or port specified by --port) is not available, Genero Desktop Client will stop (exit with -1).
-D Starts Genero Desktop Client in debug mode, where the debug tree and debug console are active.
When set:
  • The Debug tab in the Monitor becomes visible.
  • If used in conjunction with the -a option, the Copy to clipboard button in the About box copies various debug information to the clipboard, to include config.xml and hosts.xml content. This enables you to send information to support when needed.
  • If a connection is selected, the menu option Debug Tree is added to the context menu of the connection table. Selecting this option displays the AUI tree.
  • To activate the debug tree, press Ctrl and right-click within the application.
  • To activate the debug widget tree, press Ctrl-Shift and right-click within the application.
  • If not specified with the --listen option, the listening mode is set to ANY when this option is specified.
-A security_level Sets Genero Desktop Client's security level regarding the Runtime System's connection.
--Authentication
--listen ANY|LOCALHOST|NONE|AUTO Specify the network listening mode of the Genero Desktop Client.
  • ANY: Listen to any network for a new connection.
  • LOCALHOST: Listen to localhost only, DVM must be on the same host as Genero Desktop Client or must be on a host connected with port forwarding
  • NONE: No listening at all. Only HTTP connection will work, this is the most secure operating mode.
  • AUTO: Like LOCALHOST, but Genero Desktop Client will switch back to ANY when a regular direct shortcut (without port fowarding) is used, to allow a connection from outside. The Genero Desktop Client will switch back to LOCALHOST when no more connections and no more terminals are active, after a two minutes timeout.
Important: AUTO is the default, which means connections from the outside that are launched without using the shortcut system will not work anymore.
Table 3. Genero Desktop Client command line options: Start Application

This table presents Genero Desktop Client command line options. Some options share the same attribute and description - these options are interchangeable.
Option Parameter Description
.gdc file Starts Genero Desktop Client with the shortcut specified in the .gdc file. If the file contains several shortcuts, it starts with the first alphabetically. See The Shortcut Sysytem.
-S shortcut_name If Genero Desktop Client has not been launched, Genero Desktop Client will start minimized; then, the shortcut named shortcut_name will be started.
--Start
-s If Genero Desktop Client has not been launched, Genero Desktop Client will start minimized, using the information given by -U, -H, -T, -P and -C to connect to a DVM.
--startDirect
-U username

The specified user name will be used when a Direct Connection starts.

This option can be used if you share Genero Desktop Client; then each user can create a link to the bin and differentiate the shortcut that will be launched.
--User
-H hostname The specified host name will be used when a Direct Connection starts with a defined shortcut (with -S), or starts directly (with -s).
--Host
-P password The specified password will be used when a Direct Connection starts with a defined shortcut (with -S), or starts directly (with -s).
--Password
-K The password specified with -P option will be kept in memory and no longer requested.
--KeepPassword
-C command_line The specified command_line will be used when a Direct Connection starts with a defined shortcut (with -S) or starts directly (with -s).
--Cmd
-T connection_type Defines which protocol should be used when an application starts with -s. Values can be: TELNET, SSH, SSH2. Default is SSH2.
Note: Default is now SSH2.
--Type
-w Defines whether the terminal window is visible (when --startDirect option is used). The terminal is hidden by default.
--ShowTerminal
-f If a password is provided with --Password, Genero Desktop Client won't display a login box when starting a shortcut. If you explicitly want the login box to be shown, with password and user pre-entered, use the -f option.
--ShowFirstLogin
-e Allows the user to save the password in a persistent way (It will not be asked again, even if Genero Desktop Client is stopped and restarted).
--AllowPersistentSave
-k Putty Key file (.ppk) Uses the given Putty Key File as authentication method when Direct Connection.
--PuttyKey
-u Genero application URL Starts the HTTP Genero application given by the URL.
--url
-g remote .gdc file Starts directly the remote .gdc file.
--gdcfile
Table 4. Genero Desktop Client command line options: Start Genero Desktop Client

This table presents Genero Desktop Client command line options. Some options share the same attribute and description - these options are interchangeable.
Option Parameter Description
-a Starts the GDC in admin mode. When set:
  • The Options tab in the Monitor becomes visible.
  • The Shortcuts list includes New ..., Edit, Delete, and Duplicate ... buttons.
  • If used in conjunction with the -D option, the content of config.xml and hosts.xml are written to the clipboard when using the "Copy to clipboard" button in the About box.
  • The GDC monitor configuration can be saved, as monitor configuration is only saved when in admin mode.
--admin
-c Defines an additional configuration file. See Apply an additional configuration file.
--config
--language locale Starts the GDC with the specified locale.

While the locale can be any locale code, the GDC is only translated for these locales:

  • de_DE or de
  • cs_CZ or cs
  • es_ES or es
  • pt_PT or pt
  • fr_FR or fr
  • zh_TW
  • zh_CN

If the locale option is not specified, either language saved in stored settings or the locale from the operating system is used.

Ideally, the correct language code will be provided, however the GDC will attempt to search for the corresponding language tag. For example, "fr", "fr_CA", "fr-anything" will all redirect to "fr_FR".

Setting the locale using the --language option also affects:
  • The result of the frontcall feinfo with the userPreferredLang option. See the Genero Business Development Language User Guide for more information about this frontcall and option.
  • The TimeEdit widget date format (12 hour format versus 24 hour format).

For more information, see Set the language for the GDC monitor.
-M Starts the GDC minimized.
--Minimized
-i Starts the GDC with ignore Stored Settings on.
--ignoreSettings
-X Closes the GDC if there is no longer an application or terminal running.
--close
Table 5. Genero Desktop Client command line options: Logging Mechanism
This table presents Genero Desktop Client command line options. Some options share the same attribute and description - these options are interchangeable.
Important: Sensitive and personal data may be written to the output. Make sure that the log output is written to files that can only be read by application administrators.
Option Parameter Description
-l Log file Starts Genero Desktop Client and replays the given Log File
--logplay
-L Log file directory Starts Genero Desktop Client and replays all the Log Files inside a givendirectory
--logdir
-r Log file

or no parameter

 Starts Genero Desktop Client, records a log, and saves the given Log File.

If specified without a parameter, the GDC creates an automatic log name at startup. Allowing the GDC to create the log name saves the need to compute a log name and prevents the overriding of old log files.

The log file name is saved in $AppDataDir/Four Js/Genero Desktop Client/<version>/ directory. The format of the file name is <computer_name>_<timestamp>.log.

For example:
  • If on a Mac, an example log file path and name could be /Users/john_doe/Library/Application Support/Four Js/Genero Desktop Client/3.20.06/Johns-MacBook-Pro.local_2019-05-10_14-51-13-194.log
  • If on a Windows® PC, an example log file path and name could be C:\Users\john_doe\AppData\Roaming\Four Js\Genero Desktop Client\3.20.06\johns-window-pc_2019-05-23_12-21-22-905.log
See GDC configuration file directories for more information about AppDataDir directories.

For more information on creating logs for debugging with the GDC, see Using the logging system.
--logrec
-t delay By default, replays Log Files at their recording speed. You can change the delay (in milliseconds) between the steps.
Important: A delay that is too small will overcharge Genero Desktop Client. Please consider 100 milliseconds as the smallest acceptable value.
--logtimeout

macOS™ users

The command line can be used in either of the following ways:
  • Start the terminal application (Applications, Utilities) then enter: ./Applications/gdc.app/Contents/MacOS/gdc command_line. macOS™ expects the path to be absolute and not relative.
  • Using the following Apple® Script: do shell script "./Applications/gdc.app/Contents/MacOS/gdc command_line"

Warnings

  • The -S and -s options must be used separately; -S is used to start an existing shortcut, and-s to start an application using the command line.
  • When using -s, you must specify at least the host and the command line. The username and password will be prompted if needed.
  • Even if you're using the -q option, Genero Desktop Client will first check whether another instance is already running. If you really want your Genero Desktop Client instance to stop if the port is not available, use -n and -q together. Using-q alone will stop Genero Desktop Client if the port is not free and not being used by another Genero Desktop Client.