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<a name="Command-Line-Options"></a>
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<p>
Next: <a href="Startup-Files.html#Startup-Files" accesskey="n" rel="next">Startup Files</a>, Up: <a href="Invoking-Octave-from-the-Command-Line.html#Invoking-Octave-from-the-Command-Line" accesskey="u" rel="up">Invoking Octave from the Command Line</a> &nbsp; [<a href="index.html#SEC_Contents" title="Table of contents" rel="contents">Contents</a>][<a href="Concept-Index.html#Concept-Index" title="Index" rel="index">Index</a>]</p>
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<hr>
<a name="Command-Line-Options-1"></a>
<h4 class="subsection">2.1.1 Command Line Options</h4>
<a name="index-Octave-command-options"></a>
<a name="index-command-options"></a>
<a name="index-options_002c-Octave-command"></a>

<p>Here is a complete list of the command line options that Octave
accepts.
</p>

<dl compact="compact">
<dt><code>--built-in-docstrings-file <var>filename</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dbuilt_002din_002ddocstrings_002dfile-filename"></a>
<p>Specify the name of the file containing documentation strings for the
built-in functions of Octave.  This value is normally correct and should
only need to specified in extraordinary situations.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--debug</code></dt>
<dt><code>-d</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002ddebug"></a>
<a name="index-_002dd"></a>
<p>Enter parser debugging mode.  Using this option will cause Octave&rsquo;s
parser to print a lot of information about the commands it reads, and is
probably only useful if you are actually trying to debug the parser.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--debug-jit</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002ddebug_002djit"></a>
<p>Enable JIT compiler debugging and tracing.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--doc-cache-file <var>filename</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002ddoc_002dcache_002dfile-filename"></a>
<p>Specify the name of the doc cache file to use.  The value of <var>filename</var>
specified on the command line will override any value of
<code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_DOC_CACHE_FILE</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any commands
in the system or user startup files that use the <code>doc_cache_file</code>
function.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--echo-commands</code></dt>
<dt><code>-x</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002decho_002dcommands"></a>
<a name="index-_002dx"></a>
<p>Echo commands as they are executed.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--eval <var>code</var></code></dt>
<dd><p>Evaluate <var>code</var> and exit when finished unless <samp>--persist</samp> is also
specified.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--exec-path <var>path</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dexec_002dpath-path"></a>
<p>Specify the path to search for programs to run.  The value of <var>path</var>
specified on the command line will override any value of
<code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_EXEC_PATH</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any commands
in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable
<code><span class="nolinebreak">EXEC_PATH</span></code><!-- /@w -->.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--force-gui</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dforce_002dgui"></a>
<p>Force the graphical user interface (GUI) to start.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--help</code></dt>
<dt><code>-h</code></dt>
<dt><code>-?</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dhelp"></a>
<a name="index-_002dh"></a>
<a name="index-_002d_003f"></a>
<p>Print short help message and exit.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--image-path <var>path</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dimage_002dpath-path"></a>
<p>Add path to the head of the search path for images.  The value of
<var>path</var> specified on the command line will override any value of
<code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_IMAGE_PATH</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any commands
in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable
<code><span class="nolinebreak">IMAGE_PATH</span></code><!-- /@w -->.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--info-file <var>filename</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dinfo_002dfile-filename"></a>
<p>Specify the name of the info file to use.  The value of <var>filename</var>
specified on the command line will override any value of
<code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_INFO_FILE</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any commands
in the system or user startup files that use the <code>info_file</code>
function.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--info-program <var>program</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dinfo_002dprogram-program"></a>
<p>Specify the name of the info program to use.  The value of <var>program</var>
specified on the command line will override any value of
<code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_INFO_PROGRAM</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any
commands in the system or user startup files that use the
<code>info_program</code> function.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--interactive</code></dt>
<dt><code>-i</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dinteractive"></a>
<a name="index-_002di"></a>
<p>Force interactive behavior.  This can be useful for running Octave via a
remote shell command or inside an Emacs shell buffer.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--jit-compiler</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002djit_002dcompiler"></a>
<p>Enable the JIT compiler used for accelerating loops.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--line-editing</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dline_002dediting"></a>
<p>Force readline use for command-line editing.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-gui</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dgui"></a>
<p>Disable the graphical user interface (GUI) and use the command line
interface (CLI) instead.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-history</code></dt>
<dt><code>-H</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dhistory"></a>
<a name="index-_002dH"></a>
<p>Disable recording of command-line history.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-init-file</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dinit_002dfile"></a>
<p>Don&rsquo;t read the initialization files <samp>~/.octaverc</samp> and <samp>.octaverc</samp>.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-init-path</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dinit_002dpath"></a>
<p>Don&rsquo;t initialize the search path for function files to include default
locations.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-line-editing</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dline_002dediting"></a>
<p>Disable command-line editing.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-site-file</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dsite_002dfile"></a>
<p>Don&rsquo;t read the site-wide <samp>octaverc</samp> initialization files.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--no-window-system</code></dt>
<dt><code>-W</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dno_002dwindow_002dsystem"></a>
<p>Disable use of a windowing system including graphics.  This forces a
strictly terminal-only environment.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--norc</code></dt>
<dt><code>-f</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dnorc"></a>
<a name="index-_002df"></a>
<p>Don&rsquo;t read any of the system or user initialization files at startup.
This is equivalent to using both of the options <samp>--no-init-file</samp>
and <samp>--no-site-file</samp>.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--path <var>path</var></code></dt>
<dt><code>-p <var>path</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dpath-path"></a>
<a name="index-_002dp-path"></a>
<p>Add path to the head of the search path for function files.  The
value of <var>path</var> specified on the command line will override any value
of <code><span class="nolinebreak">OCTAVE_PATH</span></code><!-- /@w --> found in the environment, but not any commands in the
system or user startup files that set the internal load path through one
of the path functions.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--persist</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dpersist"></a>
<p>Go to interactive mode after <samp>--eval</samp> or reading from a file
named on the command line.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--silent</code></dt>
<dt><code>--quiet</code></dt>
<dt><code>-q</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dsilent"></a>
<a name="index-_002d_002dquiet"></a>
<a name="index-_002dq"></a>
<p>Don&rsquo;t print the usual greeting and version message at startup.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--texi-macros-file <var>filename</var></code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dtexi_002dmacros_002dfile-filename"></a>
<p>Specify the name of the file containing Texinfo macros for use by makeinfo.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--traditional</code></dt>
<dt><code>--braindead</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dtraditional"></a>
<a name="index-_002d_002dbraindead"></a>
<p>For compatibility with <small>MATLAB</small>, set initial values for
user preferences to the following values
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">PS1                             = &quot;&gt;&gt; &quot;
PS2                             = &quot;&quot;
beep_on_error                   = true
confirm_recursive_rmdir         = false
crash_dumps_octave_core         = false
disable_diagonal_matrix         = true
disable_permutation_matrix      = true
disable_range                   = true
fixed_point_format              = true
history_timestamp_format_string = &quot;%%-- %D %I:%M %p --%%&quot;
page_screen_output              = false
print_empty_dimensions          = false
save_default_options            = &quot;-mat-binary&quot;
struct_levels_to_print          = 0
</pre></div>

<p>and disable the following warnings
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">Octave:abbreviated-property-match
Octave:fopen-file-in-path
Octave:function-name-clash
Octave:load-file-in-path
Octave:possible-matlab-short-circuit-operator
</pre></div>

<p>Note that this does not enable the <code>Octave:language-extension</code>
warning, which you might want if you want to be told about writing code
that works in Octave but not <small>MATLAB</small> (see <a href="Issuing-Warnings.html#XREFwarning">warning</a>,
<a href="Issuing-Warnings.html#XREFwarning_005fids">warning_ids</a>).
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--verbose</code></dt>
<dt><code>-V</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dverbose"></a>
<a name="index-_002dV"></a>
<p>Turn on verbose output.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>--version</code></dt>
<dt><code>-v</code></dt>
<dd><a name="index-_002d_002dversion"></a>
<a name="index-_002dv"></a>
<p>Print the program version number and exit.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code><var>file</var></code></dt>
<dd><p>Execute commands from <var>file</var>.  Exit when done unless
<samp>--persist</samp> is also specified.
</p></dd>
</dl>

<p>Octave also includes several functions which return information
about the command line, including the number of arguments and all of the
options.
</p>
<a name="XREFargv"></a><dl>
<dt><a name="index-argv"></a>: <em></em> <strong>argv</strong> <em>()</em></dt>
<dd><p>Return the command line arguments passed to Octave.
</p>
<p>For example, if you invoked Octave using the command
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">octave --no-line-editing --silent
</pre></div>

<p><code>argv</code> would return a cell array of strings with the elements
<samp>--no-line-editing</samp> and <samp>--silent</samp>.
</p>
<p>If you write an executable Octave script, <code>argv</code> will return the list
of arguments passed to the script.  See <a href="Executable-Octave-Programs.html#Executable-Octave-Programs">Executable Octave Programs</a>, for
an example of how to create an executable Octave script.
</p></dd></dl>


<a name="XREFprogram_005fname"></a><dl>
<dt><a name="index-program_005fname"></a>: <em></em> <strong>program_name</strong> <em>()</em></dt>
<dd><p>Return the last component of the value returned by
<code>program_invocation_name</code>.
</p>
<p><strong>See also:</strong> <a href="#XREFprogram_005finvocation_005fname">program_invocation_name</a>.
</p></dd></dl>


<a name="XREFprogram_005finvocation_005fname"></a><dl>
<dt><a name="index-program_005finvocation_005fname"></a>: <em></em> <strong>program_invocation_name</strong> <em>()</em></dt>
<dd><p>Return the name that was typed at the shell prompt to run Octave.
</p>
<p>If executing a script from the command line (e.g., <code>octave foo.m</code>)
or using an executable Octave script, the program name is set to the
name of the script.  See <a href="Executable-Octave-Programs.html#Executable-Octave-Programs">Executable Octave Programs</a>, for an example of
how to create an executable Octave script.
</p>
<p><strong>See also:</strong> <a href="#XREFprogram_005fname">program_name</a>.
</p></dd></dl>


<p>Here is an example of using these functions to reproduce the command
line which invoked Octave.
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">printf (&quot;%s&quot;, program_name ());
arg_list = argv ();
for i = 1:nargin
  printf (&quot; %s&quot;, arg_list{i});
endfor
printf (&quot;\n&quot;);
</pre></div>

<p>See <a href="Indexing-Cell-Arrays.html#Indexing-Cell-Arrays">Indexing Cell Arrays</a>, for an explanation of how to retrieve objects
from cell arrays, and <a href="Defining-Functions.html#Defining-Functions">Defining Functions</a>, for information about the
variable <code>nargin</code>.
</p>
<hr>
<div class="header">
<p>
Next: <a href="Startup-Files.html#Startup-Files" accesskey="n" rel="next">Startup Files</a>, Up: <a href="Invoking-Octave-from-the-Command-Line.html#Invoking-Octave-from-the-Command-Line" accesskey="u" rel="up">Invoking Octave from the Command Line</a> &nbsp; [<a href="index.html#SEC_Contents" title="Table of contents" rel="contents">Contents</a>][<a href="Concept-Index.html#Concept-Index" title="Index" rel="index">Index</a>]</p>
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octave-doc 4.2.2-1ubuntu1 / usr / share / doc / octave / octave.html / Command-Line-Options.html
