2. Command Line Arguments

Command-line arguments offer control over runtime application behavior and configuration of settings, and integrate easily with scripts or automated pipelines. All ParaView executables, detailed in Section 1.3, share a common set of command-line options, although each program also supports unique arguments specific to its functionality.

The following basic syntax rules apply to all ParaView executables:

  • Values for options can be provided after a space or an equals sign.

    • --option value is equivalent to --option=value.

  • For options that accept multiple values, denoted --moption TYPE ..., you can either provide the option multiple times or separate the values with a comma.

    • --moption=foo --moption=bar is equivalent to --moption=foo,bar.

  • Options may expect a certain type of value.

    • TEXT: A text string.

    • INT: An integer number.

    • FLOAT: A floating-point number.

    • ENUM: One of several predefined values.

2.1. Common Options

The options below are common to all ParaView executables: paraview, pvpython, pvbatch, pvserver, pvdataserver and pvrenderserver.

General options:

  • -h, --help: Prints the help message and exit.

  • -V, --version: Prints version number and exit.

  • -v, --verbosity ENUM:verbosity: Controls log verbosity on stderr, using integer values in the range [-9, 9] or one of INFO, WARNING, ERROR, or OFF. Defaults to INFO(0).

  • -d, --dr, --disable-registry: Skips user-specific applications settings and configuration options.

  • --print-monitors: Prints monitor information and exit. This option is only available on Windows.

  • --venv TEXT: Initializes python with a virtual environment at this path.

Debugging and logging options:

  • --enable-bt: Generates stack-trace on crash, if possible.

  • --cslog TEXT: Specifies the filename to use for generating a ClientServerStream log.

  • -l, --log TEXT[,ENUM:verbosity] ...: Additional log files to generate. Can be specified multiple times. By default, log verbosity is set to INFO(0) and may be overridden per file by adding suffix ,verbosity, where verbosity values are same as those accepted for the --verbosity argument.

MPI options:

  • --mpi: Initializes MPI for the current process, even if not necessary.

    • Excludes: --no-mpi.

  • --no-mpi: Skips initializing MPI on current process, if not required.

    • Excludes: --mpi.

  • --use-mpi-ssend: Use MPI_SSend instead of MPI_Send, whenever possible. Useful for debugging race conditions in distributed environments.

    • This setting can also be configured via the PARAVIEW_USE_MPI_SSEND environment variable.

Plugin options:

  • --plugins TEXT ...: Specify plugins to load on startup.

  • --plugin-search-paths TEXT ...: Specify search paths for plugins when resolving plugin names.

Connection options:

  • --connect-id INT: An identifier used to match client-server connections. Non-zero values require the client and server to use the same identifier. Default is 0.

  • --hostname TEXT: Override the hostname used for connecting to this process. By default, the hostname is determined using appropriate system calls.

Rendering options (for all but pvdataserver):

  • --force-offscreen-rendering: If supported by the build and platform, creates headless (offscreen) render windows for rendering results.

    • Excludes: --force-onscreen-rendering.

  • --force-onscreen-rendering : If supported by the build and platform, creates on-screen render windows.

    • Excludes --force-offscreen-rendering.

    • This setting can also be configured via the PV_DEBUG_REMOTE_RENDERING environment variable.

  • --opengl-window-backend ENUM Specify the OpenGL window backend to use. Supported values are GLX, EGL, OSMesa, Win32. This option is only relevant for pvbatch, pvpython, pvserver, and pvrenderserver.

    • If not specified, the default backend is determined by the build and hardware configuration.

Display environment options (for all but pvdataserver):

  • --disable-xdisplay-test: Skips all X-display tests and OpenGL version checks. This is only applicable on systems with X. Use this if you’re confident that your X environment and OpenGL support are set up correctly (experimental).

  • --displays TEXT ...: Specify a list of rendering display or device ids. For X-based systems, this can be the value to set for the DISPLAY environment. For EGL-based systems, these are the available EGL device indices. When specified these are distributed among the number of rendering ranks using --displays-assignment-mode specified.

  • --displays-assignment-mode ENUM: Specify how to assign displays (specified using --displays=) among rendering ranks. Supported values are round-robin (default) and contiguous.

    • Needs: --displays.

Stereo rendering options (for all but pvdataserver):

  • --stereo: Enables stereo rendering.

  • --stereo-type INT: Specify the stereo type to use. Possible values are Crystal Eyes, Red-Blue, Interlaced, Dresden, Anaglyph, Checkerboard, or SplitViewportHorizontal.

    • Needs: --stereo.

  • --eye-separation FLOAT: Specify eye separation distance.

    • Needs: --stereo.

2.2. paraview-Specific Options

Arguments controlling actions on application launch:

  • filenames TEXT ...: Positional arguments that may be used to pass either data, state, or script files. .pvsm files are treated as state files, .py are treated as scripts and all others are treated as data files.

    • Excludes: --state, --script, --data.

  • --state TEXT State file (.pvsm or .py) to load when the application starts.

    • Excludes: --script, --data, filenames.

  • --script TEXT: Python script to execute when the application starts.

    • Excludes: --script, --data, filenames.

  • --data TEXT ...: Load the specified data file(s) when the client starts. For file series, replace the numeral with a dot (e.g., my0.vtk, my1.vtk...myN.vtk becomes my..vtk).

    • Excludes: --state, --script, filenames.

  • --live INT: Connect to Catalyst Live session at the specified port number. Default is -1.

Testing specific options:

  • --baseline-directory TEXT: Directory where the test recorder will store baseline images.

    • Can also be set via the PARAVIEW_TEST_BASELINE_DIR environment variable.

  • --test-directory TEXT: Directory for temporary test results and files.

    • Can also be set via the PARAVIEW_TEST_DIR environment variable.

  • --data-directory TEXT: Directory containing input data files for tests.

    • Can also be set via the PARAVIEW_DATA_ROOT environment variable.

  • --test-script TEXT ...: Test scripts to execute, in the order specified on the command line.

  • --test-baseline TEXT: ...: Specify baseline for test scripts provided.

  • --test-threshold FLOAT ...: Test image comparison threshold for test scripts provided.

  • --exit: Exits application when tests are finished.

Options affecting connections between client/server processes:

  • --url, --server-url TEXT: Specify the server connection URL. On startup, the client will connect to the server using the URL specified.

    • Excludes: --server.

  • -s, --server TEXT: Specify the server resource name for client connection.

    • Excludes: --url

  • --servers-file TEXT ...: Additional servers configuration file(s) (.pvsc) to use.

  • --multi-servers: (Experimental) Enables the client to connect to multiple independent servers at the same time.

2.3. pvpython-Specific Options

Connection options: These are the same as the connection options in the paraview-Specific Options.

2.4. pvbatch-Specific Options

General options:

  • -s, --sym, --symmetric: When specified, the python script is processed symmetrically on all processes.

2.5. pvserver-Specific Options

Options affecting connections between client/server processes:

  • --client-host TEXT: Specify the hostname for reverse-connection mode. Default is localhost.

  • -r, --rc, --reverse-connection: Uses reverse connection mode, where instead of the client connecting to the server(s), the server(s) will connect back to the client. Default is 0.

  • -p, --sp, --server-port INT: Port number to use to listen for connections from the client. In reverse-connection mode, this is the port number on which the client is listening for connections. Default is 11111.

  • --bind-address TEXT: Specifies the address to bind the server socket to. Default is 0.0.0.0.

  • --timeout INT: Specifies the timeout in minutes for a server connection. Default is 0.

  • --timeout-command TEXT: Command for the server to periodically check remaining connection time. When executed, the command should write an integer value to stdout.

  • --timeout-command-interval INT: Interval in seconds between consecutive calls to the timeout command. Default is 60.

    • Needs: --timeout-command.

Tile-display specific options:

  • --tdx, --tile-dimensions-x INT: Number of displays in the horizontal direction.

  • --tdy, --tile-dimensions-y INT: Number of displays in the vertical direction.

  • --tmx, --tile-mullion-x INT: Size of the gap in pixels between displays in the horizontal direction.

  • --tmy, --tile-mullion-y INT: Size of the gap in pixels between displays in the vertical direction.

CAVE specific options:

  • --pvx TEXT: ParaView CAVE configuration file (typically a .pvx file) that provides the configuration for screens in a CAVE.

2.6. pvdataserver-Specific Options

Connection options: These are the same as in pvserver-Specific Options, except that the -p, --sp, --server-port flag is replaced with:

  • -p, --dsp, --data-server-port INT: Port number to use to listen for connections from the client. In reverse-connection mode, this is the port number on which the client is listening for connections. Default is 11111.

2.7. pvrenderserver-Specific Options

The Tile Display, CAVE and Connection options are the same as those in pvserver-Specific Options, except that the -p, --sp, --server-port connection option is replaced with:

  • -p, --rsp, --render-server-port INT: Port number to use to listen for connections from the client. In reverse-connection mode, this is the port number on which the client is listening for connections. Default is 22221.