Framework/Article/Command Line Arguments

Command line arguments

OpenOffice.org supports a number of command line arguments to open file or print files and to serve special needs. The following article wants to give an overview about the supported command line arguments.

The general command line of OpenOffice.org is defined as:
Usage: soffice[.exe] [options] [documents]

Command	Purpose
-accept=<accept-string>	Specify an UNO connect-string to create an UNO acceptor through which other programs can connect to access the API.
-base	Creates a new database document.
-calc	Creates a new spredsheet document.
-display <display>	Specifies X-display to use in Unix/X11 versions.
-draw	Creates a new drawing document.
-global	Creates a new global text document.
-headless	Suppresses any modal dialog so OpenOffice.org can run without user interaction. This is NOT designed to run OOo as a "background" process. The Office still starts and open document views. It's the task of a developer to use the API correctly to assure that no UI is shown.
-help/-h/-?	Shows a small message box with information about the arguments (Windows) or outputs it to stdout.
-helpbase	Opens the OOo help application and shows the Impress specific help chapter.
-helpcalc	Opens the OOo help application and shows the Calc specific help chapter.
-helpdraw	Opens the OOo help application and shows the Draw specific help chapter.
-helpimpress	Opens the OOo help application and shows the Impress specific help chapter.
-helpwriter	Opens the OOo help application and shows the Writer specific help chapter.
-impress	Creates a new presentation document.
-invisible	Initially no start up screen, no default document and UI is shown. It's possible to show documents via API. This option is not designed to use OOo as a "background" process. The API developer has to make sure that the views are opened non-visible.
-language=<iso language code>	Preset a user interface language. The Office uses a fallback mechanism if the provided language is not available.
-math	Creates a new formula document.
-minimized	keeps start up bitmap minimized
-n	Always open documents as new files (use as templates).
-nodefault	Don't start with an empty document.
-nofirststartwizard	Don't show the first start wizard on the first start. A needed default user configuration is copied without user interaction.
-nolockcheck	Don't check for remote instances using a .lock file in the user folder.
-nologo	Don't show the splash screen.
-norestore	Suppress restart/restore after a fatal error.
-o	Opens a document regardless whether they are templates or not.
-p <documents...>	Print the specified documents on the default printer.
-plugin	Make OOo aware that it's embedded in a browser. DEPRECATED
-pt <printer> <documents...>	Print the specified documents on the specified printer.
-quickstart	Start the quickstart service (only available on Windows and OS/2 platform).
-quickstart=no	Disable quickstart service.
-show <presentation>	Open the specified presentation and start it immediately.
-terminate_after_init	The Office terminates after the initialization phase automatically.
-unaccept=<accept-string>	Close an acceptor that was created with -accept=<accept-string>. Use -unaccept=all to close all open acceptors.
-view <documents...>	Open the specified documents in viewer-(readonly-)mode.
-web	Creates a new HTML document.
-writer	Creates a new text document.
	Remaining arguments will be treated as filesnames or URLs of documents to open.

OpenOffice.org shows the "Start Center" whenever the command line arguments don't explicitly order the creation/loading of one or more documents.