MicroStation Wiki MicroStation Command Line Options And Switches

MicroStation Command Line Options And Switches

	Product:	MicroStation
	Version:	V8, XM, V8i, CONNECT, 2023
	Environment:	N\A
	Area:	Administration
	Subarea:	N\A

Command Line Parameters

The easiest and most reliable way to determine which command line parameters are supported in the version of Bentley desktop product you are using is the following:

From the Windows "Run" command window
- Choose Start > Run from the Windows taskbar.
- In the Open field, enter the full path specification of the executable file for the respective product you want to see the command line parameters for.
- Add a space and then /help or -help or -? or /?
- Press <Enter>
- You should get a DOS window with the command line parameters supported in that product release.
- Press <Esc> when you are finished.
or
Temporarily change the shortcut icon for the product you want to see the command line parameters for:
- Right click on the product shortcut and select Properties.
- Add /help or -help or -? or /? to the end of the Target command line.
- Click Apply (do not click OK).
- Double click the respective icon from your desktop.
- You should get a DOS window with the command line parameters supported in that product.
- Press <Esc> when you are finished.
- Remove what you added to the end of the Target line, then click OK.

Below is a list of some of the command line parameters that are available:

Command Line Parameter	Result
-debugfileopen	Dumps configuration variables to msdebug.txt and exits. In MicroStation V8i SELECTseries 3, use DEBUGFILEOPEN to automatically open msdebug.txt.
-help or -?	Displays Command line arguments for Ustation.exe.
-I<parameters>	Passes through parameters to INITAPPS.
-M<model>	Specifies initial model to open.
-O	Does not open any references.
-QP <password>	Specifies password for protected file.
-R	Opens the design file in read-only mode.
-RestoreDefaults	Restore default settings and then exit.
-RestoreDefaultsQuiet	Restore default settings and then exit. No output.
-S<startup_file>	Dumps text in the startup file into the command queue after startup. User Preference Execute Startup Script must be engaged.
-WA<mdl_application>	Specifies MDL application to start at MicroStation initialization (same as MS_INITAPP).
-WC<path_to_configuration_file>	Specifies the configuration file MicroStation will use on startup (for example, -wcC:\Bentley\Workspace\Config\myconfig.cfg).
-WD<database>	Specifies database configuration.
-WI<interface>	Specifies interface configuration.
-WP<project>	Specifies project configuration.
-WS<configuration_variable>	Specifies a configuration variable to be defined (for example, -wsMS_SECURITY_LEVEL=HIGH).
-WU<user>	Only v8i: Specifies user configuration.
-WR<path>	Specifies _USTN_CONFIGURATION (for example, -wrC:\Bentley\Configuration\). In v8i: Specifies _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT (for example, -wrC:\Bentley\Workspace\).

The following command line parameters are not supported in MicroStation V8:

Command Line Parameter	Result
-A<application name>	Starts the MicroCSL application specified by the application name parameter during the startup of MicroStation. Multiple -a options can be used.
-C<cache limit>	Specifies the cache limit in KB
-DISPLAY<display name>	X Windows ONLY - Directs output to the X Windows display device indicated by display name
-MICROCSL<mcsl application name>	Starts the MicroCSL application specified as an offline MicroCSL application. (DOS Protected Mode Only)
-Q	UNIX ONLY - Enables the command in MicroStation "!" (Exclamation point) which creates a new Shell. This will override the setting in the workspace>configuration>operation>escape_to_O.S. menu.
-U<undo buffer size>	Specifies the undo buffer size in bytes

The following command line parameters are applicable to MicroStation CONNECT Edition & MicroStation 2023:

-WK<workspace>	Specifies the initial WorkSpace. If a WorkSpace is specified, a child WorkSet should also be specified using -WW<workset>.
-WW<workset>	Specifies the initial WorkSet. If WorkSet is specified, its parent WorkSpace must also be specified using -WK<workspace>.