Scanner Command Line Parameters Overview

Scanner settings are typically configured when creating a scanner using the Scanner Generator. However, you may want to override these configured settings when manually running the scanner. Examples of when to override scanner configuration file settings are as follows:

  • The scanner encounters a problem when trying to capture information during a scan.

  • Assume the scanner is configured to save the scan file to a remote location. For example, a Data Flow Probe server or a Store and Forward server. In this scenario, you want to re-route the scan file to another location.

  • Assume the scanner is configured to save the scan file to a remote location. However, a segment of the network is down. In this scenario, you want to re-route the scan file to another location.
  • You want to optimize the scan performance for certain machines, or you want to optimize the scan performance at certain times.

Tip Command line parameters and parameter values that are used to run the scanner can be viewed in Analysis Workbench, or they can be viewed in Viewer at Hardware and Configuration tab > System Data folder. This is useful when you want to check if the scan results were obtained from a scanner that was run with any special command line options. For more information about these Inventory Tools, see Inventory Tools.

How to Use Command Line Parameters

You can specify command line parameters by:

  • Typing the command from a command line (for example, the Windows command prompt, or the UNIX/Mac OS X shell). In UNIX/Mac OS X make sure you specify the path to the scanner.

    For example:

    /tmp/scanlinux-x86 -?

    launches the Linux scanner from the /tmp directory and displays a list of valid command line options.

  • Creating a Windows shortcut. Type the command line options (if any) after the quotation marks.

    For example:

    "C:\TEMP\Scanwin32-x86.exe" -?

    launches the Win32 scanner and displays a list of valid command line options.

  • Typing the command in the Windows Run command in the Start menu. Type in or navigate to the location where the scanner executable is located. Type the command line parameter or switch after the quotation marks.

    For example:

    "C:\TEMP\Scanwin32-x86.exe" -?

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