Command line options?

[heidl]

Does PDF-Tools V6 offer any command line options? If so, where can I find a list of the currently possible command strings?

We have a user who tried the following parameter: "PDFXTools.exe /RunTool imagesToPDF"

Though it just started PDF-Tools, but not the Image to PDF function.

Thanks

[Sean - PDF-XChange]

Hi heidl,

Please see https://help.pdf-xchange.com/pdfxt6 ... ons_t.html for a complete list of command line options available for PDF-Tools V6.

Best regards,

Sean Godley

Tracker Software North America

[heidl]

It doesn't work, guys. It's just opening up the PDF-Tools main window without any further action.

I tried the following commands:

PDFXTools.exe /RunTool imagesToPDF
PDFXTools.exe /RunTool:showprog=yes;showrep=yes imagesToPDF
PDFXTools.exe /RunTool:showui=yes;showprog=yes;showrep=yes imagesToPDF

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello heidl,

Did you try with a syntax like this:
/RunTool:showprog=no imagesToPDF "c:\picture1.png" "c:\picture2.png"
It should not launch the PDF Tools UI, and convert the passed picture 1 and 2 to PDF.

Regards,
Stefan

[heidl]

I did and nothing happens. PDF-Tools launches with the tool highlighted that I've been using last.

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello heidl,

Thanks for the follow up. A colleague will run some tests on this later today in our head office, and if we manage to confirm this - it will be passed to the dev team for fixing. We will update this topic as soon as we have further info!

Cheers,
Stefan

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello again heidl,

We ran some tests and are unable to reproduce the behaviour you describe. It seems to us that all these command lines are working fine and as expected.

Would you be willing to provide us with a remote connection to your machine so that we can see the issue first hand? Or maybe make a short video illustrating the issue, upload it somewhere and then share the link below?

Please let us know how you'd like to proceed as we'd like to help - but need to see the issue before we can do so.

Regards,
Stefan

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Hello,

1) I can only confirm that the command line is working correctly at my side.

2) One small thing to mention is, that when in PDF Tools V6, in the settings for "Create PDF from images" the option with the same name "Create PDF from images" is checked, then the dialogbox with "Images to PDF Options" shows up while running the command line.

3) I can only reproduce the problem posted by heidl, by removing the double-point between Runtool and showprog, in the command line. So something like this:

"C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF Tools V6\PDFXTools.exe" /RunToolshowprog=no imagesToPDF "c:\willy\page_1.jpg" "c:\willy\page_2.jpg"

If I do so, then PDF Tools V6 just starts with the last used tool selected.

When I insert the double-point at the right place in the command line, all is running like it should.
"C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF Tools V6\PDFXTools.exe" /RunTool:showprog=no imagesToPDF "c:\willy\page_1.jpg" "c:\willy\page_2.jpg"

Best regards.

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi Willy,

Thanks for the post - It's working for me too when using Stefan's string. I think that the remote session is the way to go, at this point, as it would appear specific to heidl's environment.

Cheers,

[heidl]

Hello,

thanks for all your replies. I'm wondering if there's confusion on our side on how these command line options ought to behave.

I tried out Willy's first example:

"C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF Tools V6\PDFXTools.exe" /RunToolshowprog=no imagesToPDF "c:\willy\page_1.jpg" "c:\willy\page_2.jpg"

PDF-Tools open with OCR highlighted. Nothing happens.

Then I tried out his second suggested code:

"C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF Tools V6\PDFXTools.exe" /RunTool:showprog=no imagesToPDF "c:\willy\page_1.jpg" "c:\willy\page_2.jpg"

PDF-Tools open with ImageToPDF highlighted. Again, nothing happens.

Is this all these command line options are supposed to do? Or can I expect some kind of output i.e. a pdf-file? my assumption was exactly that, but you never know.

I'd welcome some sort of remote session, maybe we can discuss further details via e-Mail? I've been in contact with Will in the past, so I'll contact him.

Thank you!

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi heidl,

I've received the email and responded directly there.

For others interested in this thread:

Is this all these command line options are supposed to do? Or can I expect some kind of output i.e. a pdf-file? my assumption was exactly that, but you never know.

To the best of my knowledge, I believe that the command line options should actually execute the specified operation (i.e. comvert images to PDF) and shouldn't be just opening PDF-Tools with the tool selected.

We'll update this post with the results of the remote, once we have them.

Cheers,

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi all,

Just an update to the topic - it appears that this was an issue with build 317.1 and was fixed for build 318.1, so everything seems to be working fine now

[heidl]

Thanks again for your immediate support! That's what I call perfect service!

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Always a pleasure heidl!

Cheers,
Stefan

[jdc99]

I'm using PDF Tools v10.6.0 build 396 (May 5, 2025) and it appears the switch "/RunToolshowprog=no" is broken again.

When I run PDFXTools.exe /RunTool:showprog=yes pdft.tool.ocrPages c:\test.pdf

I get the dialog box asking me what OCR options I want and the progress box is shown briefly, but as soon as I click ok inside the OCR options dialog, the progress box disappears. The OCR then runs, but the problem here is that the progress box is not displayed while the OCR is running.

image.png

[Vladimir G - Tracker Dev]

Hello, jdc99,

Thank you for the report.

... but the problem here is that the progress box is not displayed while the OCR is running

This issue has already been fixed, and the fix will be available in the next build.

Additionally, when you run with /RunTool:showprog=no, neither the full application window nor the progress window should appear. However, if a modal dialog is triggered during the process, the application window (either the full interface or just the progress window) may appear temporarily and will be hidden again once the dialog is closed.

Best regards,